The effects of office décor and art in the workplace are often taken for granted. The mood of a meeting room can change with splashes of colour in a painting. A piece of unusual artwork can provide a talking point in a bland corporate space. It has been concluded that artwork has a direct impact on employee productivity or well-being.
Exeter University’s School of Psychology found that employees who have control over the design and layout of their workspace have 32% more worker productivity than those in bland workplaces, they are also happier and healthier. More than 2,000 office workers were involved in the research in a series of studies looking at manners too and efficiency within working space. Having art in the workplace also contribute to the reduction of stress, boosting creativity and encouraging transparency as agreed upon by many workers.
Other case studies revealed that through productivity monitoring that employees confirmed that art has a diverse effect on their working day as well as the company image and impressions on clients. Intriguing, art was not the only element rated to have an impact on worker well-being. Other elements such as plants and facilities such as lounge rooms and interior design also came up as interesting points. The full effect of art on individual employees in regards to work ethic, motivation and stress seem to be more effective in women than in men. Women stated that art has a great effect on creativity and in controlling stress levels to a higher degree than men.
Evidence shows that firms that employ quirky and unusual art increases the fun factor of any office and reminds employees to have a laugh and not take things too seriously and be too miserable. Clients appreciate having fun art in conference rooms and meeting, rooms by lifting the mood and adding colour. Space can really change the reputation of a company, especially in meetings. Art provides a statement about what the company priorities are and values, when there is quality art on the walls the company will be regarded as professional and values attention to detail. For example, modern pieces show that the business is modern and with the times, photographs of global monuments show the international presence and reach of the business. Art by local artists shows that the business is committed to fostering their own country and supporting domestic production.
Even the Deutsche Bank is on board with this principle. With some 60,000 artworks across 900 offices in 40 different countries, the German investment bank has the biggest collection of corporate art in the world, there is an interactive app which tells employees more about the works they are looking at, fulling involving employees and visitors alike. Engaging employees with the art is just as important as having art present. Managers can hold votes and fun quizzes on what art should be displayed and change up the art regularly, probably once a month. There are even corporate art services that do it all for you, sourcing great art and installing it in the office on a regular basis.
It can be concluded that art has a profound impact on the well being of employees and productivity. When workers feel more relaxed and happy, they are likely to work harder and put in more effort towards their work. Having great art in the workplace does not have to be an expensive time-consuming exercise, simply involve your employees in the process and it will be a fun rewarding experience for all.
