6 Ways to Make Your Office Creative Friendly
“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.”
– Steve Jobs
Creatives are an elite breed of professionals (and we’re not just saying that because we have a rockstar team of ‘em). We see things differently and have an innate sense to create, inspire, and express ourselves. No two creatives’ process is the same. We have a tendency to look for inspiration in our surroundings and need our workspace to be an incubator for producing our best work. Here are our tips on how to create an inclusive environment to help keep everyone’s creativity in bloom.
1. ARRIVAL TIME AUTONOMY
We’re all wired differently. Letting your team choose their own hours gives them the freedom to decide what time they can commit to being the most productive. Studies have shown that flexible working hours make employees more present and engaged. Leaving people with the option to arrive earlier or later will help them focus on their work, rather than staring down the clock. Hey, 8am isn’t for everybody and that’s okay.
2. HAVING SNACKS
When hunger hits, it hits hard. Have healthy snacks and drinks on hand for your team to help keep them energized and focused. Food is fuel and keeping the fridge stocked should be considered just another way of providing the team with the resources they need to do their job efficiently. It cuts out the need for any out-of-office runs for that second cup of coffee or snack for that afternoon crash that always seems to happen around 2 or 3pm. Remember, you’re not you when’re hungry.
3. MULTIPLE WORKSPACES
Different environments bring different perspectives, so sometimes a change of scenery is good. It can help you overcome the inevitable creative blocks and frustrations. While no two desks in our office look the same, we have several different workspace options to get the job done.
We have a communal high-top table great for gathering and sharing ideas in an organic way. We have a meeting room filled with couches, and we also created a zen destination filled with a giant pouf and comfy pillows. There’s always a bit of FOMO when the nice weather rolls around, so we support taking your work outside too.
Bottomline, creatives need a space that feels right for the task at hand.
4. ASSORTMENT OF OFFICE MATERIALS
It’s time to up your Staples order. We mean more than the mundane pen and paper for office things. Colorful pens, highlighters, and markers are good to keep on hand. Post-it notes are always a must and having spare notebooks come in handy too. But, creatives gonna create, so we like to keep a toolbox of some out-of-the-box supplies as well. We’re stockpiled with different kinds of papers, paints, and art materials on hand for any project that comes up.
5. GROUP COLLABORATION
The gathering of the creative minds is the gateway to the best ideas. Making time for group collaboration gets everyone involved and shows that you value their opinions. This is the time to bounce ideas and thoughts off of each other and join forces to strategize innovative solutions.
6. BRAINSTORM AREA
Tap into that brainpower you have in the office! Creatives need a space to visualize and flesh out their ideas, especially when collaborating with team members. Having a designated place to jot down your brainstorms help to inspire thought. Dedicate at least one area of the office as a place of free thinking. That could be anything from a giant glass wall that you can doodle on to a corner of the wall you use as a mood board.
Time to get your feng shui in tow & keep those creative juices flowing!