HAVE you noticed a change in your disposition lately? Are you getting up in the mornings with lots more enthusiasm and heading off to work with a spring in your step?

With better weather and more hours of daylight to make us feel chirpier than we have in ages, there's a certain joie de vivre in the air that's making life that little bit brighter.

But when you arrive at the office, how long before your high spirits disperse and your mood takes a nosedive?

Brand new research suggests those feel-good vibes evaporate faster than you can say mind-numbingly boring' the minute you step into the building.

And according to statistics, many of our workplace woes stem from a lack of greenery and natural light.

Words like gloomy' and depressing' were used by 46 per cent of full-time staff to describe their working environments, while 65 per cent said better surroundings would boost their productivity by as much as one fifth.

That's the equivalent of an extra employee for every five already working, or an extra working day each week - something bosses might like to sit up and take notice of.

They might also like to know that these same workers take an average of 14 days off sick every year, compared with just eight days for typical workers.

Being penned into small, cramped spaces is a major irritation for 35 per cent, while a lack of plants and foliage annoys 34 per cent and being deprived of natural ventilation gets up the noses of 31 per cent.

And with 84 per cent saying their surroundings have a significant impact on their happiness and motivation, it's easy to see why morale plummets when staff are forced to spend their nine-to-five in dismal, miserable conditions.

"Just 24 per cent of workers describe their environments as stimulating, so it's no surprise that a kind of desk despair' is setting in, taking its toll on motivation and productivity," said Jeff Mariola, MD of interior landscapers Ambius, which carried out the research.

But paying attention to detail isn't just about keeping established workforces content; encouraging new recruits is also an important factor.

Researchers found that 80 per cent of us always factor into the equation how much we like our potential place of work when considering job offers - so scoring highly on the Pleasant Environment-o-meter' could really boost firms' chances of getting the very best talent.

At the same time, less than a third (31 per cent) said visitors to their company would feel confident in its abilities, which just goes to show that first impressions can really count.

Lovely though Fred the spider plant may be and vital though efficient working is to the bottom line of a business, how important are these little extras' in the grand scheme of things for we workers?

If the study is anything to go by, the look and feel of the place in which we press our noses to the grindstone is definitely high up on the agenda.

Half of those quizzed said attractive surroundings are as important as days off, while two thirds said they're as influential as senior management (68 per cent) and the quality of work equipment (65 per cent).

It even seems we'd ditch little perks and tasty tea breaks for the odd orchid on the table or fern in the corner, with substantially more workers voting for aesthetics like these over subsidised chocolate and crisps (23 per cent to 16 per cent).

Jeff Mariola said: "Decor is often the last budget priority, but when staff claim it's just as important as a holiday allowance, employers must sit up and take notice."

Almost nine in 10 workers (88 per cent) think employers should make more of an effort to improve working conditions. Simple ideas for revamps range from putting a plant on every employee's desk (40 per cent) to installing inspiring art (37 per cent), to help get those creative juices flowing.

Psychologist Craig Knight, from the University of Exeter, which is working with Ambius on a three-year research project into space management, said: "Our findings to date show that people work better and feel more satisfied in offices decorated with plants and pictures.

"Measures of productivity, comfort and well-being are consistently higher than when that same space is left in a bare state.

"Initial findings also indicate that output and satisfaction are improved still further if employees are left to stamp their own mark on their space, because it helps them realise their identity."