Enriching work environments matter (and here’s why)
Our relationship with where we work has changed, and in this shifting environment there is real scope to do something different, unexpected, and deeply enriching for the people on your team. Custom art might be what you need.
What can we get out of going to the office that we can’t get by working at home? This question was posed by Lisa Munao, Director, Davenport Campbell, at the recent Architecture and Interior Design show in Melbourne. It provoked this article as a response. For many organisations, encouraging people to come back into the office to reconnect is important. Company cultures have changed over the last few years, and redefining how we want to be into the future is an important next step. But how could art help?
Look around your office now. Is it somewhere you love spending time? How much thought was given to what’s hanging on your office walls? Often, office spaces feel like an afterthought. Maybe some mass-produced prints are hung, or perhaps the walls are still rather bare. Does it matter that much after all? We would argue yes—and there’s plenty of research to back it up, too. The benefits of thoughtful office environments go beyond pure aesthetics. Here are seven reasons why enriching your environment with art matters:
Art is the catalyst for connections. There’s no arguing that art can be a great conversation starter. David Rockerfeller and JPMorgan Chase started one of the worlds most renowned corporate art collections based on this premise. Give your employees and clients something engaging to talk about by displaying unique fine art around the office. Discussing artwork can be fun, but it also allows employees and clients to learn things about each other and deepen relationships.
Art can enhance and articulate diversity and inclusion. Art represents ideas in ways that can be hard to describe, but are deeply known. It can describe your stories in new ways that promote an open dialogue across organisational silos. Well researched collaborative art can involve the entire team in its design and help articulate the diversity and inclusiveness of your organisation.
Art can increase creativity. Have you ever gone to a restaurant and were inspired to cook? Watched Grand Designs and wanted to renovate? Or went to a concert, and sang all the way home? Creativity is fundamental for innovation and is critical for a business to thrive. Many offices with their open plan rows of desks and monitors aren’t terribly inspiring. But creativity inspires creativity, and being surrounded by an enriched, thoughtfully designed interior replete with artistic thinking can help prompt new perspectives. The Facebook Artist in Residence Program uses art as a prompt art to inspire innovation and experimentation in their staff.
Art can even improve productivity. Research out of Exeter University has shown that creative work environments increase feelings of well-being and autonomy, and productivity can increase (Knight, 2010). In the study, productivity shot up by an amazing 32%. A cynical person reading the study would no doubt attribute this increase to increased evidence of care in the workplace, and if art equates to care, we are good with that.
Art could improve office attendance (rather than working from home). Offices can often feel more like factories or glass boxes and are places to escape from rather than spend time in. Creating a space that’s meaningful for your employees is even more important now that working from home is a genuine option. Ask yourself, what might work offer that home can’t? Is the office now a social space? Or a creative space? What if art was a collaborative exercise and included art-based activities for your staff? Getting this right could lead to a better use of your (expensive) office real estate and increase staff retention.
Art can reinforce your brand. Art can become a visual manifestation of your brand and strengthen your identity. By commissioning custom art, you create a new way to reflect on who you are, and inspire where you are going. Microsoft Research, for example, works with artists to showcase their cutting-edge research, convey higher concepts, and expand the public perception of computer science.
Daly & X is a Brisbane-based art studio that is focused on building creative collaborations. We are all about showing your organisation and people in a new light and inspiring different, unexpected, and deeply enriching ways of perceiving yourself. Find out more about investing in artwork for your office space that becomes a catalyst for your connections.