Office Design Tips to Foster Creativity
CC photo by Mackenzie Kosut – source
A lot of things outside of us have the ability to impact what is going on inside, including the creative thought process. Research has shown that office design and the general environment can have an impact on worker creativity as well as influence how employees feel about their place of employment. If you in the midst of designing an office, here are some tips to set up an environment that will get the creative juices flowing.
Have Plenty of Natural Sunlight
Offices that rely heavily on artificial lighting are drab and are not amenable to creativity; not to mention the strain they put on the eyes, which leads to headaches and all other sorts of issues that make for unhappy, uncreative workers. Natural light boosts the mood and research has found that natural lighting and a positive state of mind both seem to enhance creativity. Exposure to natural light also helps people feel connected with the outside world, which can promote more expansive thinking.
Provide Visual Stimulation
When it comes to fostering creativity in the workplace, you want to create an environment that provides visual stimulation in the form of colors, lighting, angles and interesting objects; blue and green are two colors that have been associated with enhance creativity. Artwork is another good idea and you might consider moving it around and changing it frequently; inquire with local museums as some have programs that allow companies to take out pieces on loan.
Get Personal
Allow your employees to bring personal items to work and have a lot of control in designing their own personal work space. It can foster a sense of community and will help people feel more relaxed and like themselves; creating an environment where people feel at ease and can act more natural is great for encouraging innovation, creative thought and comfort in sharing ideas.
Create Zones of Community and Personal Space
Interaction and collaboration with others is an important part of the creative process and your office design should incorporate plenty of communal spaces that foster interaction between staff. You also need to create private spaces that allow people the solitude they may sometimes need to think and hash out ideas.
Keep Current Projects on Display
Make a spot where information on current projects are prominently on display. This will encourage collaboration and get the creative juices flowing. Inspiration will strike, new ideas will come to light, spontaneous conversations will spark new ideas—all of which can help move projects along, solve a current problem, improve on ideas and even come up with whole new projects.
Encourage Playfulness
While work needs to be serious at times, all that seriousness can hamper creativity. Finding a way to mix work and play appropriately ,and without getting too distracted from the task at hand, is just the thing to put the creative thought process into gear. Have a box of toys handy that your employees can go to when they are feeling a bit stressed, restless or what not; good choices include silly putty, koosh balls, stress balls and similar objects that really engage the sense of touch.
Article by Kelli Cooper
Kelli Cooper is a freelance writer who enjoys sharing tips on how businesses can foster creativity in the workplace. Follow the link to get a comprehensive listing of sites that provide a wide variety of products for offices.
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