Does a nice Office Interior really make your employees more productive?

Does a nice office interior do us good? Yes, according to various studies. Preferably with art on the walls, surrounding greens, a nice view and a range of workplaces to choose from.

They certainly planned that for the new head office for Corsair that was built in Glasgow. Huge windows give employees a beautiful view over the Bay and provide an abundance of light. There are impressive views across the adjacent buildings. Beautiful wooden ceilings and partitioning provide a soothing feeling. Glasgow based office interior McKellar designed an office tthat should impress on the one hand and on the other hand make employees feel good. And hopefully, that will influence the productivity positively. But is that really the case last?

Snow capped mountains

A team of Glasgow City College recently tested with the help of a game called Scenic or Not, what people find inspirational, scenic images. Not entirely unexpectedly attractive images of snowed mountain peaks, river beds and wild landscapes were mentioned. The researchers combined this data with data that indicate that people living on beautiful natural locations feel physically better and feel healthier. ‘The aesthetics of our environment, “says lead researcher Seresinhe, Chanuki’ has a direct effect on our well-being.’ And that, according to him has a major impact on the office environments that companies create. Lead designer of McKellar Commercial Interior Design Glasgow, Kit-Har McLaughlin says that taking into account that people spend so much time at work, a pleasant-looking landscape does make people feel better and there is good reason to believe that pleasant-looking work environments will have the same effect.’

Green makes productive

Also plants can increase productivity. That was concluded by Marlon Nieuwenhuis, attached to the Department of psychology of the University of Cardiff, in an international study in 2014. ‘We placed the plants in two large, formerly spartan-looking, commercial offices in Scotland and England, ‘ says Nieuwenhuis. ‘ That led to an increase in productivity by 15%. ‘ During the research, workers said that the air was purer, they were more concentrated and overall felt happier. “With this research, we hope to lead the way towards a more pleasant and comfortable office form which turns out to be more profitable. ‘

Open-plan office

A pleasant-looking working environment has since the years ’60 especially been associatted with an open-plan office. But how sympathetic the open-plan office may seem, it is not always beneficial for productivity. Many open plan offices are set up primarily to promote cooperation. Meanwhile, focus and concentration lead under the continuous presence of sound. So much that it can lead to stress. A 2011 study from the Danish Ministry of employment even concluded that workers from an open office environment call in sick twice as often.

Innovation outside the Office

The large architecture and design firm Gensler holds an annual survey to determine how the ideal office interior looks like. According to Gensler’s Workplace Survey 2016 the most innovative employees can choose from a variety of work spaces. So traditionally sitting at the same desk every day is no longer. The report also showed that the most innovative employees do not spend every day in the office. They spend an average of 74% of their time in the Office. The rest of the time they are like at home, outside in nature, for example, sports or work from a café in between. Less innovative employees spend more time in the Office, around 84%, according to Gensler. 

Wall art

Art inspires or at least will make people comment on it. But does it make it an office environment more fullfilling? Yes, says Herman Schaefer, Director of Ironwork Heat Transfer. The company on the Clyde in Glasgow has a large art collection even in the factory. Of course over there the artwork is specially impregnated. Schaefer: ‘what applies at Ironwork for the industrial heat exchangers, cooling plants, condensers and fans, also applies to the art collection. High-quality, distinctive and sophisticated. We offer state-of-the-art solutions, so it can only go together with a state-of-the-art art collection.’

Quality of life

But does art really do employees good? Yes, say the workers themselves. An older American survey says that 78% of workers feel that the presence of the art work reduces their stress feelings. According to that research, art leads to a 64% increase in their creativity, while 67% also believes that art is good for moral. 77% believe that art on the walls also ensures that people give their opinion. 84% conclude that the art contributes to their overall quality of life. So perhaps you sshould hang uip an extra painting soon?