More than likely you’re thinking of your colleagues down the hall developing the latest brochure or editing that video going up on the website next week. Most people think of the stereotypical “creatives”; the designers, the marketers, the advertisers… but what if I told you everyone you work with, including yourself, is a creative? It may not be overtly apparent, but everyone brings their own creative spark to their position. From designing something in Adobe InDesign, to color-coding an excel spreadsheet, everyone has a unique way of approaching their tasks. Therefore, it’s imperative to have an environment that helps support and nurture that creativity – no matter what form it comes in.
It’s no secret that your environment directly correlates with your ability to be creative. This includes everything from noise level all the way down to what color the carpet is. So how can you create the ideal creative environment?
Layout
This is without question the biggest influence in sparking or dampening your creative flow. It’s one of the biggest reasons why here at Davies we spend so much time working with our clients to optimize and update our clients workspaces. You’re sitting at your desk for 40+ hours every week, it’s important that that space not only works for you but inspires you. If you have been in any
office lately you’ve seen firsthand that open space concepts are becoming the new norm. The driving force behind this trend is the ability to easily collaborate with colleagues. Some of the ways you can accomplish this are:
- Make things moveable! Having mobile features in your office space not only allows for easy to set-up collaboration spaces, giving everyone the freedom to work where they choose. Additionally, if you decide that the office layout is no longer ideal for your needs, having mobile features gives you the freedom to make changes without damaging the “bones” of the building.
- Strategically place whiteboards around your office to encourage co-workers to gather and share ideas, without having to worry about reserving a conference room. Having the ability to work something out in real time allows for problem solving to take place.
- Consult with a design specialist! Nobody will be able to maximize your space like a trained professional. Here at Davies we have an entire team of expert designers ready help you create not only a fabulous looking office, but that really works for your team. We design with the individual in mind so that every square inch of space is not just “useable”, but that it is actually used. Interested in learning about our process? Learn more
Noise
The beauty about creativity is that no two people create in the same way. When sitting down to accomplish a task, some people would say that the quieter the location the better. However, for some people a little bit of noise can do wonders. In a recent study it was found that the optimum noise level for a creative environment is similar to that of a noisy restaurant (approximately 70 decibels). Having the flexibility to get up and move around to a more quiet area or going into the bull pen allows employees to optimize their productivity.
Lighting
In terms of being creative, while remaining productive, nothing compares to having an abundance of natural light to work with. Research has shown that employees working in a naturally lit environment are more in tune with their circadian rhythm, allowing for more adequate brain functionality during their day. This in turn not only helps with the creative process but allows them to more easily tap into other areas of the brain to accomplish whatever tasks they may face.
Everyone is creative in their own way, and it’s important to nurture and encourage that creativity. Creativity is what leads to innovation; without innovation there would cease to be achievement. It is the unique solutions to our problems that have allowed business’ to thrive during these uncertain times. Without a doubt, creativity in the workplace is extremely important for everyone regardless of their position. Focusing on the big picture, employees become emotionally invested in their work and less fearful of failure. Creativity inspires employees to work with each other. The creative process encourages collaboration, innovation, and production; these are all the things crucial to a business’ success.
If you’re interested in learning more about what we can do to help your office space reach its maximum potential give us a call at 518.449.2040 or visit us at Daviesoffice.com/contact.
