Energy and motivation

Disassociating work from play is a common corporate practice. However, newer and more innovative organisations have started to see the benefits of giving their employees a little leeway and blurring the boundaries between working and playing hours. Employees can take a walk, discuss interests with their colleagues or even skim through a favourite magazine while at work.

Organisations are also including workout areas for their employees to relieve stress. You can also organise weekly yoga sessions at the office to help staff rewind and refocus. What may at first glance seem like a waste of company time and money is actually a human resources investment: the return on this investment is a more creative, energised and motivated team.

Time on your side

To encourage creativity, you need time. You simply cannot just come up with innovative ideas: you need to invest in minutes and hours of seeking inspiration.

Google’s solution was to give employees 20 per cent of working hours to focus on side projects. This has been the start of something genius, as through this, an amazing array of successful products have been designed, including Google News.

Innocad Architektur designed the welcoming entrance at Microsoft’s Vienna headquarters. The vertical landscaping brings colour and a touch of nature to the otherwise polished interior.

Be positive

One of the main forces that affect productivity, motivation and creativity is the work environment. This is the foundation of success for any business. To be able to work creatively you must feel at ease in your work environment. The more employees feel restrained, the higher staff turnover organisations experience. To create a positive work environment, organisations can encourage a positive philosophy through, for instance, decorating office walls with motivational quotes. These will keep employees feeling positive in those high-pressure moments.

Natural light also has a positive effect. There is no better light than natural light: everything is truer to its colour and staff feels energised. Avoid artificial light: however, if this isn’t possible, rope in lighting experts to make sure that artificial light is sensitive to employees and to various tasks. Also, white walls and light furniture are highly reflective and are the preferred option for a brighter space.

Office layout

Many don’t realise how impactful office layout and furniture positioning can be on an employee’s creativity. Placing a desk near a window could translate into creativity inspired by natural light and views. Glass partitions couldimprove communication between employees and a larger relaxing hub could mean a more rested,focused team.

Big, bright and organised

Clean room, clear mind. This is also true for the workplace. Office design that caters for effective storage solutions means that employees can organise and declutter. Nothing gets your creative juices flowing like a big, empty, clear desk.

Relaxing nooks in your office can be stress-busting. Employees should be able to relax on comfortable sofas while surfing the web, reading magazines or listening to music. For the ones who refocus through energy, there should be a space with a choice of games such as table tennis or billiards.

The colours of creativity

A well laid out office should include colour combinations that psychologically affect employees’ mood and performance and trigger certain emotions. For instance, red increases energy while green calms and relaxes. It’s important to consider this when designing your offices.

Bring the outside in

Being close to the open sea or taking a stroll in a public garden usually leaves you feeling more balanced and calm. Bringing these exterior elements inside will enable employees to focus in a tranquil environment. This does not have to be a major pro-ject but can easily be done by placing plants in various areas of an office, putting up a hammock in the relaxation area or even incorporating wooden furniture wherever possible.

Change your office philosophy

Play is frequently seen as a waste of time. Life has accelerated to the point where we try and cram in as much work as possible in our waking hours.

Enabling employees to get their minds off work will help them come back refreshed and energised with a positive outlook and new, fresh ideas.

Office design is also an important element in bringing out the creativity in a team. Go for calming colours and organic shapes in areas that are dedicated to relaxation, and choose brighter colours for rooms where employees battle deadlines.

It’s important to invest in employees’ well-being. An organisation will gain from the health and drive of the people making it all happen. An innovative workspace will lead to innovative thinkers, and if this is accomplished, the value is priceless.

Justine Bartolo is currently working for interior designer Vera Sant Fournier and after completing her diploma is now reading for a degree in interior design.