Whether the people inside your office are employees, clients, the general public, or a mix of all three, artwork is a key to the interior design process. But you don’t want to buy the first mass produced print you see and hope for the best, do you? The artwork you select for your business should say as much about your culture, clients and your personality as your products and services do.
If you own a business where the only occupants are your employees, don’t overlook the advantages of incorporating art. There have been numerous studies of offices with artwork and those without, showing that art can increase productivity and creativity. Ok, you’re nodding at productivity, but don’t see the big deal about creativity. Maybe it’s because your employees work in finance and spend 90% of their day working with numbers and Excel spreadsheets.
Consider the crucial connection between creativity AND productivity. Creativity precedes productivity. Employees who work in an environment that embraces creativity do not feel like cogs in a machine. Creativity encourages them to work more efficiently because:
- Encouraging creativity promotes working without boundaries. Employees who don’t feel limited are more likely to be better, more engaged employees. Encouraging creative thinking leads to employees’ seeing the bigger picture and focusing on issues with a deeper business impact.
- Fostering creativity shows employees that they can change their workplace. If you don’t feel change is accepted, you’re more likely to have employees mutter “That’s the way it’s always been done.”
- Creativity leads to an emotional investment in work. If you value art, you likely also value a life/work balance, something employees appreciate.
- Creative environments are ok with failure so employees are more likely to try new things and not be easily discouraged.
One type of business that greatly benefits from artwork are restaurants. If I wanted to look at white walls while I ate, I’d just stay home, right? Diners are looking for ambiance and an experience, something that can be achieved with the right artwork. Here are a few examples from around the world.
Other examples of businesses that benefit from artwork are those with high stress environments such as dentists, doctors or image centered companies that do public relations.
Nonprofits often use photography to highlight the individuals or in some cases, animals, that receive their funds or assistance. These images are important for employees and donors and not only keep your mission front and center but tie your work to those it benefits.
If none of the above convinces you, at the very least, your employees deserve something aesthetically pleasing to look at where they spend the majority of their waking hours.
Planning Interiors can help you discover what kind of art will benefit your business. Our interior design team will present options and incorporate your brand and vision to achieve an aesthetic that all parties can agree on. Call us at for a consultation to get started today.