Can Art In Your Office Make You Work Better? [Art in the Workplace]

Work related art (such as basic motivational posters), boosts productivity when compared against art that has no tangible connection to the work being undertaken.

Even if the art selected to adorn the walls and tables of the office isn’t exactly screaming a message that is clear-cut, its still highly advantageous to have.

In one example, Deutsche Bank found that teams who worked in an office enriched with art worked 15% faster than a team who worked from a sparsely decorated workspace.  

Whether it be wall art displaying a motivational quote, or a painting of a beautiful natural landscape, the benefits of investing in art for your office has been shown to extend to improving the wellbeing of workers as well as the company’s bottom line. 

Investing in art for the office increases employee appreciation 

Any company willing to invest in their work environment is perceived by employees as investing in them, bringing a sense of unity to the team.

Studies show that letting employees decorate their work space with their own form of art affords a feeling of control and community ownership (as well as generates up to 25% more productivity).

After all a company giving its employees a choice in how the place looks shows it cares and trusts them to make positive decisions.

In a traditional office, a nicely decorated work space conveys that the “higher-ups” do indeed care about the work environment everyone else works in. 

Wall art is a  cost-effective stress reliever

Corporate art isn’t just a design choice; it’s an office-wide stress-reliever.

Offices quickly become stressful, many of us know this, there’s even a show about it [The Office joke inserted here].

Displaying art is a simple way to ease tensions, reduce stress, and restore mental energy: all of which increase efficiency.

Works of art, especially landscapes and other images of the natural world have been linked to lower anger levels in the workplace, and are known to boost brain performance and efficiency too. This is why biophilic design is seeing a surge in adoption amongst large enterprises.

The company benefits from adding art to the walls

Art addresses brand and company culture. Whether you want your business to have a bold, modern atmosphere or more of a soft, subtle vibe, it’s easily attainable with just a few select pieces of art.

Companies with unusual art portray themselves as trendy and unconventional in their methods. Suppose you want your clients to know you are not afraid to be innovative and depart from the traditional? Art is a great way to convey that message in a way that isn’t overpowering or conspicuous. 

Art can send a clear but subtle message regarding what the company stands for (or against). Many companies use art to show their support for current movements and demonstrate their values to their customer and client base.

Issues of common concern and collective identity unite the workforce and the company, and the client base. A shared cause can bring even the strangest of bedfellows together.

By using local artists to tell its history, businesses can develop an identity and tie their brand to the local culture and community. Companies that embrace local culture and community connect their businesses to society and help support and promote local artists (you can use this link for marketing as well).

What type of art should you bring into the office? 

People like to understand art, but they also want to look at something with a certain visual complexity, something that will give the viewer plenty to look at without being overwhelmed.

Elements of the mind that we don’t typically use are sparked to life and encouraged by works of art that require scrutiny or interpretation.

So think about something like a Banksy Canvas vs a “Hang in There Kitty” motivational poster.

Art that is figurative, pleasing, and representative is more easily processed and subsequently preferred over that which is challenging or abstract (so maybe not the Picasso).

Horizontal and vertical lines (versus diagonal) and curved lines (versus straight) are also processed easier and therefore recommended over other challenging works.

Final thoughts​

Art can add to your bottom line, even if you are work from a home office.

Any increase in productivity, no matter how small, is a plus. A single, slight increase from one employee in one department every day for the rest of the year really adds up. 

In the end, this makes art profitable for everyone.