The psychological effects of art in the workplace
In our previous post, "Art as Decoration for Businesses ," we discussed the importance of art as an effective branding tool to support a company's or business's corporate identity. Whether it's a law firm, a coffee shop, or a hotel, we concluded that art also adds value to the space for clients and staff. Let's now delve a little deeper into the relationship between the two, starting with the following question:
Does art increase employee productivity in companies?
The answer is yes, according to the results of psychological studies we'll mention later: a vibrant and creative workspace can make employees more productive, reduce stress, and increase well-being. Contrary to popular belief, being distracted at work isn't always a bad thing. Large companies like Google encourage activities that provide distractions right in the office. Therefore, a well-chosen work of art that appeals to employees, displayed in a visible but unobtrusive location, can promote relaxation, help shift perspectives, and allow for mental quiet and contemplation between tasks, thus contributing to reduced stress levels.
"If you enrich a space, people feel much happier and work better. A very good way to do this is by using art," says Dr. Craig Knight, director of the Identity Realization (IDR) research group at the University of Exeter, who has spent twelve years studying the psychology of work environments with the participation of more than 20,000 employees. Dr. Knight's team found that people working in offices decorated with artwork are not only happier and healthier, but also complain less, work 15% faster, and are up to 32% more productive compared to those in purely functional offices.
All of this, Dr. Craig Knight specifies, is true as long as art isn't confused with the banal motivational or teamwork posters with prefabricated self-help phrases that still abound in too many companies and which not only serve no purpose but often have the opposite effect. Thus, according to these studies, art is also a way to retain staff and encourage them to be in the office at a time when many large companies are advocating flexible hours and there is a growing desire to work remotely.
Friedhelm Hütte, the German bank's art director, himself states: "Art offers a window into social, political, and economic aesthetics worldwide, and this makes it a good source of inspiration for business, because we are constantly developing new ideas for clients and, at the same time, reacting to what is happening. Perhaps art doesn't make everyone more creative, but it engages them on a more intellectual level with innovation around the world."
