Aaron Aders, Co-founder and CSO, DigitalRelevance posted an article on inc.com about a few energizing and inspiring ideas that he chose to implement at DigitalRelevance. For the full article, click here.
Here’s a snippet from Inc.com
Collaborative Workspaces
We decided to encourage employee interaction by replacing cubicles with large desks that can accommodate multiple people. Informal lounge areas were established to allow for more spontaneous conversations and brainstorming between employees of different departments. We took advantage of vertical space by adding ample whiteboards and allowing employees to use glass walls and windows to visually communicate spur of the moment ideas. Open workspaces help to create a broader sense of community and are an easy way to promote innovation.
Multipurpose Spaces That Promote Playfulness
Most people tend to ditch their lighthearted, spirited nature for a more professional representation of themselves at work. This can unintentionally smother creativity. Creativity is at its peak when employees enjoy a high level of comfort with their peers. Playfulness can break down barriers of self-consciousness and ultimately help foster new ideas. This is why we now see many larger companies including amenities such as basketball courts, slides, and sand volleyball pits. We decided to stock the kitchen with healthy snacks and install a bar top with pub-style stools to encourage employees to embrace their playful side and share meals, drinks, and laughter with one another.
Bringing Nature Indoors
While the inclusion of fun-inducing multipurpose spaces is important, we can’t forget how a human’s primal instincts can affect their overall disposition. Ron Friedman, author of The Best Place to Work, which tells of the art and science behind creating an extraordinary workplace, explains that an employee’s overall satisfaction may be a result of very basic needs, such as an abundance of natural lighting, a beautiful landscape, and even a potted plant. We chose to move our office to a space that we feel really encompasses this. Natural lighting radiates throughout the fifth floor space through a gorgeous floor-to-ceiling mosaic of windows overlooking downtown Indianapolis. We opted for a rustic industrial design that incorporates the already existing rawness of the space’s exposed brick walls, open ceilings, and untreated support columns. Employees and guests are greeting by an entry area featuring a reclaimed lumber accent wall. To contrast these rougher finishes, we’ve added live plants throughout the office. Live plants don’t only help to clean the air; studies show that employees feel emotionally healthy and focused when plants are present. Exposing employees to nature, whether through bringing the outdoors in or through increasing natural exposure to the outdoors, can improve efficiency by as much as 12 percent, due to greater concentration and improved productivity.
Plan Your Redesign
Time invested in thoughtful office design is time well spent. In an industry where interacting with technology is commonplace, it is necessary to infuse both nature and human interaction into the workplace to promote productivity and wellbeing.
For the full article, click here.
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