It’s a well-known fact that your environment directly impacts on your focus and creativity, so you’re likely aware of the various benefits of creative work spaces.
But how exactly do you achieve this creative work environment? What should you change? To help you out we consulted some experts and put together a list of six ideas you can implement in your office to boost creativity
Imagine an office where you can choose your working area depending on the task you need to do. There would be a meeting area for group tasks, an open plan desk for general work and perhaps even a no-talking area for serious concentration (or to simply escape and relax).
Furniture, fit out and refurbishment specialist Frasier Projects lists providing different working environments as one of the best ways to make a creative office more productive, stating that, “providing the option to move around in the office will vary employees’ routines, keep their minds active and heighten their focus”.
Given a choice, most people prefer natural light over artificial or fluorescent lighting. In fact, artificial lighting alternatives cause eye strain. It can also have several negative physical effects like drowsiness, lack of focus and headaches.
Therefore, to boost creativity and productivity in your work space you need to provide employees with as much natural light as possible.
To boost creativity and productivity, London-based Snaptrip hosts daily standing meetings to outline priorities and take everyone away from desk distractions.
Standing meetings have many benefits, as workers are standing up they are much less likely to drift-off (as you can easily do while sitting), which makes them more engaged. It also helps cut down on meeting time, providing more time for productive work. In addition, standing as opposed to sitting, also has many health benefits.
Colour is key to creative work spaces, according to Open Workspace Design. On its blog the company states that “colour can have a profound effect on human emotion and behaviour. For centuries artists have manipulated colour, using different hues to influence the way humans respond to their art. The same principles can be applied to office design, using colour to stimulate collaboration, creativity and cooperation.”
So which colour should you paint your office? Well, research has shown that employees are more productive in offices painted blue, and that the colour also promotes communication, trust and efficiency. This makes blue the perfect colour for rooms used to host brainstorms.
Meanwhile, green is good for offices where people work long hours, and where innovation is paramount to success. Red, on the other hand, is bound to make employees antsy as it has been proven to energise humans. So unless your company’s work involves a lot of movement – don’t do it.
Furthermore, Open Workspace Design states that orange can increase your appetite and make you hungrier, while employees are more likely to lose their temper in yellow rooms.
Bottom line: choose your office colour wisely!
Communal areas are ideal spaces to collaborate and generate ideas, as they provide a space where groups can think more openly, says Jonathan Dawes, a project director at London-based office design company Peldon Rose.
“Comfortable couches allow for relaxed, non-judgmental teamwork, which is where the best ideas can be generated and shaped,” he states in an article published in Management Today.
Creative consultancy SoVibrant believes that being able to see what’s going on around you is key to creating creative work spaces.
“Draw everyone in by opening up spaces to create a more collaborative environment. Glass walls and glass meeting rooms show everyone where the action is, who is getting involved and invites colleagues to participate in the creativity,” the agency says, noting that incorporating a design for a glass wall makes a creative, welcoming space that really brings a brand and its values to life.
Creating creative work spaces can easily seem like a mammoth task, but with these tips it can be done effectively. Alternatively, if you don’t feel up to setting up your own creative work space, why not rent a desk - or entire office - from us? We’ll be sure to make you feel at home!
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