In the modern office, creativity is becoming increasingly important. The free flow of ideas, group discussions and mood boards are all becoming staples of the workplace, and it looks like creative thinking is here to stay. In a world where marketplaces are saturated with the same old tired ideas, it’s important to help your employees come up with ideas that will make them stand out.
The key thing to remember is that a creative office is one which stimulates ideas, conversation and inspiration. This is why meeting rooms should no longer be stuffy and corporate. It’s very difficult to think outside the box when everyone is sat in a very serious environment. Instead, the modern meeting room is much less formal. A big glass desk suggests transparency, and the more your staff can see, the more inspiration they will collect. For this reason, windows and artwork are an important aspect of meeting rooms.
In the main office room, comfortable chairs are a must. Just because an employee is slouching in their chair, it doesn’t mean they’re not working just as hard. Sofas could be placed in quiet corners for group discussions. Create pockets of space where employees are encouraged to share ideas, and make sure there is always plenty of paper around for jotting down quick ideas.
Colour is a huge factor in stimulating creativity. This doesn’t mean you have to cover the entire rainbow spectrum, but one or two accent colours can fire up the imagination. Orange is one of the colours best known for promoting unique thought, whereas purple inspires deep thinking. If you want dynamism, tenacity and passion, a vibrant red can create the right atmosphere.
A boardroom table can be one of the best ways to get your team talking. With everyone facing in towards each other, conversation, discussion and debate is actively encouraged. Once one team member has an idea, it will ignite conversation around the table, making the ideal environment for interesting, groundbreaking concepts to be born.
An open plan office is by far the best way to encourage your staff to think about things differently. Closing everyone off into cubicles or dividing the room with chunky shelving units or room separators effectively blocks off the passages for communication and stifles the way your team will be thinking and interacting.
The golden rule of an office which will get your staff thinking creatively is to keep it open. Giving your employees the space to think will benefit them greatly, and should have them coming up with the next big thing in no time at all.
Claire Barnard is a creative design consultant who advises businesses large and small on the best methods to utilise their space in order to inspire creativity and thought
Originally posted on May 13, 2013 @ 10:34 am