In business, when you’re so focused on the outcome, certain things that appear to not directly contribute to it may be sidelined. Take Six Sixma principles as examples. By eliminating various factors that do not contribute to the overall outcome of a manufacturing process, you achieve greater results.

A key example here is General Electric. The American multinational conglomerate and forerunner of Thomas Alva Edison’s Edison General Electric Company reported tangible benefits running to about $2.5 just by applying the Six Sigma.

Thus it’s understandable why a corporate garden isn’t a top priority in many corporate management circles. It can add to the aesthetics, yes. But beyond beauty, there seems to be no tangible direct advantage of tending to one. And yet, PepsiCo Toyota, and a host of other companies beg to differ. Aware of the vast benefits of green living, these businesses are prioritizing putting up a community garden that’s being taken care of by employees.

Indeed, you may not realize it immediately. Taking care of corporate gardens seems but a waste of your company’s precious time, not to mention its resources. A closer examination, however, reveals there’s more to corporate gardens than meets the eye. Truth be told, it can greatly help your bottom line.

Listed below are five reasons why many businesses entities today are seriously considering incorporating workplace gardens, and with vigor.

Better Employee Performance

Let’s face it. At the age of the virus, a sick employee is the last thing your company needs. But that’s what gardening exactly offers on the table.

When you let your workers spend time in a corporate garden, you are actually giving them a glorious way to be healthy. No less than Mayo Clinic details that chronic stress can lead to a host of health complications. Heart disease and type-2 diabetes are on top of that list. Taking care of your mental health, therefore, is essential if you want to take care of your body.

Gardening may sound like a primitive means of living. But what you may not realize is all those little actions you’re doing when gardening (e.g., sowing seeds, watering, pulling weeds) is a great way to release stress. Studies show that gardening can lower cortisol levels, the stress chemical of the body.

The more your people do gardening, the better they are able to cope with stress, work-related or not. In short, gardening prevents the formation of disease. In the final analysis, healthy workers are productive workers.

Strengthen Team Relationships

There are a lot of ways your team can garden. If you want to do it inside, you can use hydroponics for instance. That way you won’t need soil or even the heat of the sun to keep your veggies and plants alive.

Alternatively, you can also plant outside as Pepsi did. You can look for space in your front or back yard. If you’re space-challenged, you can also rent space close to your office. Employees can then spend their free time taking care of your greens. In this regard, it’s important you have a point man to oversee things.

Additionally, you should test the soil to know what seeds are best. Plus, if you’re gardening outside, ensuring your corporate garden is safe from deer and groundhogs is wise. A fence should be paramount.

If you want to keep things beautiful yet functional, composite picket fencing should do the trick. These fences are a beauty to behold. Most importantly, they pass the test of time and last longer than any traditional wood picket would.

As your team goes through the motion, you’ll realize you’re boosting teamwork. Far too often, office politics and workplace cliques exist at work. But gardening encourages social interaction in a fun, relaxed environment. In the end, your corporate garden can help break down barriers in communication and in teamwork better than any workshop can.

Boost Your Corporate Image

You might say Pepsi decided to do corporate gardening to boost its brand. And you may be right. But who does not want to be branded as a positive force on the planet? That can surely help you compete in such a dog-eat-dog world of business.

What’s more, it shows your company cares for the planet. Imagine if every American enterprise will decide to follow your lead. That can be definitely a great stride towards a more livable Earth.

Attract the Best Talent

Many millennials and Gen-Z youth today don’t just want to be in a company. They long to work for companies that contribute to the overall health of the planet. Think of how easier it would be for you to attract such a pool of talent with a corporate garden as a corporate trust.

The Freshest Produce

And lest we forget, when you get into corporate gardening, every employee can avail of the freshes of harvest that’s bound to happen over time. Think of that ultra-crisp lettuce, vine-ripened red tomatoes, and sweet snap peas.

Corporate gardening isn’t just about aesthetics. It can certainly be a timely boost for everyone, your business branding included.