Fostering creativity in the workplace can lead to better results!
There are lots of quick and simple changes that can be made in the office, to get your creative juices flowing – we’ve compiled a list of these below. Have a read, implement a few and see how you get on!
Flowers
Decorating your office with a few small potted-plants and flowers on desks will not only look and smell great, they may help employees generate more ideas and increase creativity in the workplace. A study conducted by researchers at Texas A&M found that workers demonstrated more innovative thinking when working in an office with plants and flowers versus one that didn’t. Now that’s real plant-power!
Paintings/Photographs
There’s nothing like some fine or abstract art to get you thinking more creatively. While you probably won’t be acquiring any Rembrandts for the office, why not invite employees to check out some local artists or photographers to try and find some paintings and pictures you would all like? Instagram is a great source for this! Having something other than a blank wall to look at will definitely increase the likelihood of workers thinking outside of the box.
Music/Sounds
With music being so subjective and personal, this tip is likely to vary within workspaces. A study by Australian and Dutch scientists found that happy music, such as Antonio Vivaldi’s “Spring”, boosted divergent thinking – a style of thought that describes the generation of new ideas. While it may not be practical to play music throughout the workplace, why not create a Spotify playlist and share around the office for people to listen to through their headphones?
Books & Magazines
With an endless supply of books and magazines out there, that have been specifically written to inspire creativity, this might be the easiest of all the tips to implement. Offscreen Magazine is a great example of a magazine designed by creatives that will help foster creativity in the workplace. Subscribe to a few of these magazine and leave them around the office, for people to pick up and read on lunch breaks or before brainstorming sessions. See this great list curated by Dispatch for more examples.
Fruit Bowls
It’s shameless plug time! If you want to be creative and be able to generate new ideas, you need a healthy mind and to have a healthy mind you need a healthy body…it’s all connected! Having a fruit box in the office ensures employees have access to nutrient-dense foods that will help feed the brain and fuel their creativity. The Fruit People deliver fresh fruit to offices nationwide, try us for free here!
