When people think office jobs, they often think of a sterile, boring working environment. Grey carpeting, suits and ties, the whirs of printers. A place without much personality.
If you’re in the creative industry, this kind of environment may devastate your output. It’s the kind of place artists refer to as soul-crushing. There should be an element of fun and invention to their surroundings, as well as comfort and friendliness. These things will fuel their creativity. We hope these tips do just that for you!
Cool rooms
Think of fun, modern companies like Twitter and Google. The employees have the desks and computers that make up the average workstation. But the offices also have comfortable, colourful rooms that look more like a teenager’s dream bedroom.
Areas like these are perfect for creative companies. Creatives may feel stifled when remaining locked to their regular workstation. If employees have laptops, they can move to other areas of the office and continue working. A room with more personality can help get their creative juices flowing. One of the biggest enemies of creativity is stress. Give your employees the chance to break off into fun rooms and you may find they’re much calmer and more focused.
Desks with personalities
Allow employees to personalise their workstations. This will help them feel more relaxed and more at home. Personal items are likely to be helpful to the creatives in your workplace. Someone working in writing may feel piles of books on their desks helps them think. Artists will find inspiration in drawings and photos they enjoy being within their immediate sight.
Don’t get angry if desks get messy from time to time. When in a powerful whirl of brainstorming, people pay less attention to their neatness! A common sight in creative offices is desks strewn with notes and doodles. Let it happen! If you do get worried about the mess, consider getting some notebooks for your workers.
CoSydeny Coworking Space- Creative space
Lighting
Fluorescent lighting: one of the most infamous features of the modern office. Those dull, buzzing lights aren’t too popular with the average worker. They may even have some adverse health effects. A negative impact on productivity has also been documented.
Consider more areas of natural lighting. During the summer, the lights in an office may not even need to be on. Letting your employees get some sun is great for their health and their mood. If employees feel they need more light, it may be worth investing in environmentally-friendly lamps.
If you happen to own the office and the outside of it, you will have to consider external lighting too. Consistent working hours is a rarity in creative endeavours. Late hours are undesirable, but they happen. Outdoor lighting will help employees feel safe. Have a look on http://www.glowify.com.au/ where they offer unique directional lighting. That will help them find their way on and off the premises!
CoSydney Coworking Space- open and natural lighting
Decoration
A lot of office walls are bare white. It’s hardly the most inspiring thing to surround your employees! Try decorating your office by hanging up some paintings. If your artists have their own material to offer, even better!
Murals painted directly onto the wall are also a great idea. You could hire a freelance painter to create and apply unique pieces for you. Facebook did this in their early days. Make sure the landlord is okay with that option, though!
The most important thing
The most important thing is to have a friendly, inspiring environment. This doesn’t always need quirky decorations. Keep your workers well-treated and listened to; that’ll help most of all!
Want to learn more?
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We’re here to help you to take action just like we’ve helped thousands of other entrepreneurs, artists, designers, and creative professionals all around the globe.
Now is the time to let your passion SHINE.
Now is the time to Make Tomorrow Today!
To your success,
Vinh Van Lam & Stuart Horrex
Your Coaches CoSydney & ArtSHINE
