NOT JUST A PRETTY PICTURE!

We all know that having a few pictures here and there in your work space can liven up the walls, but did you know that artwork in the office can up your productivity? 

Investing in art doesn’t have to be a daunting or expensive process and the benefits can have a hugely positive impact on your business.

Studies conducted by Exeter university found that people working in what they called ‘enriched’ spaces (that’s to say offices decorated with colour, art, plants etc) were 17% more productive than those working in the more sterile, functional ‘lean’ spaces that the study tested against, and it’s pretty obvious that an aesthetically pleasing and welcoming work space leads to happier employees, this makes for a more engaged work force as well. But the benefits to having art in your office reach a lot deeper.

So, here’s 7 reasons why you should include artwork in your next refurbishment:

1)     Connecting the artwork, you choose to put up, with your company’s ethos. History and image can really help create a sense of brand identity. By thoughtfully picking the artwork on your walls you can subtly convey to clients ‘what you’re all about’. 

A picture paints a thousand words and you want your office to tell both your staff, and your customers what you believe in.  

2)  Art can connect you with your local community. Images of nearby landscapes, city scenes or local points of interest brings together a sense of local awareness, both making your staff feel at home but also showing that you pay attention to the world around you outside the office.

3)  On the flip side just as you can show local knowledge, you can also show off your national or global outreach with images relating to other branches and their locations or even areas of the country or world that your company has business dealings with. It is especially important when considering this type of artwork in a head office. You want to convey a sense of connection with other branches and show the staff working in them that they are just as important to the business. Using art to emphasise the spread of your company is a subtle way to show the extent of your authority and reach.

4)  Getting your staff involved in the selection process can forge a greater bond between employer and employee, as it gives a feeling of empowerment to the people that are working for you. In fact, the Exeter study mentioned above found that staff who actually had a say over their working environment worked a whole 30% more productively (than those who had no say and worked in ‘lean’ environments) that’s twice as productive as those who worked in the ‘enriched’ spaces. Letting staff pick the artwork on the walls is a way to help engage them with their own work space without having to compromise on office layout and other areas of design. 

5)  Artwork can help with client relationships as well, not only can it provide a talking point – art is of course subjective - in those waiting areas, board and meeting rooms, but also shows that your company is culturally engaged. In more conservative sectors (such as finance or law) the line between a corporate image and a welcoming friendly atmosphere is sometimes hard to draw but having engaging pieces of artwork up on the walls helps your business show that it has character. It gives your office space a soul without sacrificing any professionalism. 

6)  You may be thinking ‘well won’t this be a distraction for my staff?’, well in truth being surrounded by visual stimuli is shown to boost creativity, your employees won’t be day dreaming instead studies show that working in a design aware environment leads to a more inspired output.

7) Distinct pieces of art can help staff and customers navigate your office space. Not only do key pieces of artwork make different areas of your work space more distinguishable and easier to find (“I’ll meet you in the X room, or I’ll see you by the X painting”) but it can also be an aid to agile working. By adding different pieces of art (perhaps varying in media, texture, style etc) to your work environment in notably different areas of the office, you can easily give each space a unique feel and characteristic. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck on a task at work or if you just need a change of scenery to clear your head, bringing artwork into an agile office space (where you can easily switch up the space where you are working) is a simple way to create that refreshing feeling, so needed to get your head back on track.

How does this work for you?

When people talk about ‘buying art’ there is a preconception that you must spend a lot of money, but this is far from what we are suggesting here. You don’t need some extravagant budget to brighten up your office. instead supporting your local community can both promote the bond between a business and it's neighbours but also demonstrates your investment in local culture and supporting the local arts scene.

Likewise, you don’t have to buy a piece outright, you can rent artwork through companies such as ARTIQ, this allows you to dip your toe into the art world without having to commit straight away, a try before you buy idea. But equally renting pieces regularly can keep your office feeling fresh. By changing up your wall spaces you create talking points, provide a creative space for your staff to work in and keep your interior design up to date. This can also encourage employees to move around the office to see what’s new, in large companies where different departments don’t really mingle this encourages interaction and lets your staff get to know each other! Equally if you have already bought pieces, rotating them regularly can also keep things feeling fresh and new.

It’s important to think about the tone you want to set with the art that you put up. For example, large scale contemporary pieces can project a swish, modern high flying ideal or traditional antique pieces can emphasise a company’s heritage and long-standing authority.

As mentioned earlier, it’s a good idea to get your staff involved at some level when deciding what goes on the walls. 

Whether this is shortlisting pieces and putting out a poll to see what people like and want to work around, or perhaps having a photography competition where the winners get their work hung up. 

Or even if your business is centred around childcare for example (or has strong family values) framing artwork done by kids can easily show the positive ethos that your company has. Art like this is a subtle way to covey to your clients that your business has strong values and cares about its employees and customers. Engaging with your staff and community like this can really encourage a sense of cohesion within your business and make people more invested in the place that they work. This is the key to retention as well, if your staff feel like they have a say or are include in the look and feel of their office space they’re much more likely to enjoy the working day!

Yes taking the plunge and buying pieces of art can be scary but it should make for a happier, more productive office and we at Hi Design believe that artwork forms an integral part of the design process and many of our clients take advantage of our dressing service to add the finishing touch to their new offices. If you need help picking the right pieces of art to breathe new life into your work space please don’t hesitate to ask.

Hi Design ‘work spaces that work’

SOUNDS A BIT FISHY TO ME!

We are often asked by clients about how they can achieve a BREEAM Outstanding office building. Many don’t really understand what it is or how to go about getting an accreditation, so in today’s blog we shed some light on this ‘fishy’ subject!

Firstly, we should clarify that it does not actually have anything to do with fish!

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), first published by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in 1990, is the world's longest established method of assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability of buildings

BREEAM rated developments are sustainable environments that enhance the well-being of the people who live and work in them, help protect natural resources and make for more attractive property investments.

Accreditation's are not just for new buildings, but also include refurbishments and interior fit outs too. Sustainability is one of the key environmental issues of 21st century life and any business that wishes to be taken seriously in its commitment towards environmental responsibility should consider getting a BREEAM rating. Company’s leading the way in this arena include COCO COLA, IKEA & BLOOMSBERG.

There are 10 categories in which you can score, but we thought we would look at the ‘HEALTH & WELLNESS’ category as it links in with previous articles on topics such as ‘CLEAN AIR’ ‘BIOPHILIA’ and AGILE WORKING’. This category encourages the increased comfort, health and safety of building occupants, visitors and others within the vicinity.

How can we enhance the quality of life in buildings and encourage a healthy environment for occupants?

Visual Comfort considers opportunities for good daylight, artificial lighting and occupant controls. Work space design should look at ways to ensure that as many employees as possible are situated next to an external window. For example, situating offices or agile work spaces around the edge of the building. It may be possible to utilise the light from above by building a central atrium that runs through the heart of the building.

Where artificial lighting is needed, it is possible to look at zoning areas to reflect the work space, use energy efficient LED bulbs and incorporate presence activated controls in areas such as toilets (lights turn on when an employee or visitor enters an area and switch off when they leave).

We discussed Indoor Air Quality in our recent ‘Clean Air’ article and its links to employee wellness. A study by Harvard University involved testing a group of employees over a period of 6 working days. They found that cognitive function improved by 61% when CO2 levels were reduced and fresh air was pumped into the office environment. Breeam accreditation looks for the installation of appropriate ventilation, equipment and finishes.

This can be achieved via the installation of energy efficient ventilation systems. In naturally ventilated buildings/spaces there are sensors that either have the ability to alert the building owner or manager when CO2 levels exceed the recommended set point, or are linked to controls with the ability to adjust the quantity of fresh air, i.e. automatic opening windows/roof vents.  Use materials that give of no or low-level VOC emissions, i.e. floor & wall coverings, paints, furniture etc.

Biophilic Design is a popular and effective tool in incorporating a ‘Green’ policy into the workplace environment. A ‘Clean Air Study’ conducted by NASA, found that common indoor plants can help improve air quality and neutralise the effects of sick building syndrome by removing toxic agents such as VOCs. They also help to reduce stress levels by enabling our innate biological need to connect with nature. Popular Biophilic Designsinclude living walls, atrium's, roof top gardens, vegetable gardens and tree lined lobbies.

For example: Living walls promote enhanced biodiversity, as well as improving urban temperature regulation, rainwater run-off, and reducing air and noise pollution. Usually featuring lush grasses and natural foliage. Their vertical design means they make great use of limited space both internally and externally.

Other possible design areas to consider when wanting to achieve a high BREEAM rating are waste, thermal comfort, materials and innovation. There are various sustainable materials such as FSC certified timber that can be used in the fit out of an office space. Waste initiatives include rainwater storage for flushing toilets or living walls. Thermal comfort can include solar lighting, radiant ceiling connected to geothermal systems for heating and cooling. Examples of Innovation are AGILE WORK SPACES such as multi-use breakout spaces and Workstations that can be adjusted by the user, offering flexibility and encouraging collaborative working and individual style.

At Hi Design we often get involved in the design process for BREEAM outstanding rated new build schemes, so If you are about to embark on a new build and would like to know more about how simple office design changes can improve your BREEAM score please get in touch.

Hi Design ‘work spaces that work’ 

MAKE SENSE OF IT ALL?

Making your office look, smell, sound, feel and even taste good, too!

Good design looks great, yes – but why shouldn’t it also feel great, smell great and sound great? We’ve all heard how the smell of freshly brewed coffee can help sell a house, how spas use lavender to relax you, or how supermarkets lure us in with the smell of freshly baked bread.

Until now, many office designers have focused on functionality or making things look pretty and ignored the other senses. Things are changing, as forward-thinking organisations are waking up to the benefits of Sensory Design.

So, what do we mean by Sensory Design? Well put simply it involves incorporating sight, sound, touch, taste and smell into the workplace environment. The best designs incorporate all or most of the five senses.

Let’s look at each one individually and the ways in which we can appeal to that sense through workplace design.

Upon walking into a work space, SIGHT is undoubtedly the first of our senses to react to our surroundings. Sight takes in everything from colours, shapes, patterns, lighting and the actual size of a space.

All these elements can be used to evoke feelings and to influence different outcomes, depending on what the end goal is. For example, Colours have been scientifically proven to have a physiological influence on us and colour Psychology is a popular design tool for promoting desired behaviours.

Bright colours such as orange, yellow & lime green are stimulating (and yes there is a connection with citrus fruits), these colours used in common rooms or breakout spaces can aid interaction, lively discussions with colleagues and decision making. Whereas if you want to provide a quiet place where employees can concentrate on a project or take time out, the colours blue and purple are associated with calm, promoting mental clarity, and creative thinking. Using these colours in quiet spaces and wellness rooms can help create a sense of tranquility.

Access to natural light also has a profound effect on employee’s well being and productivity at work. Artificial light that is too bright can cause headaches, where as lighting that is too dim can cause lack of focus and drowsiness. A recent study by an American university found that there is “a strong relationship between workplace daylight exposure and office workers’ sleep, activity and quality of life.”

Where possible, it is essential to allow natural light to flow into a room. This is obviously easier to achieve in the early planning stages of a building, however it is still possible in existing buildings too, by using glass or Perspex partitions and mirrors in areas where windows are, thus helping the natural light reach further. 

Sight also considers the actual size of a space and the design elements within this space can trigger different emotions. High ceilings and open plan areas can give a sense of freedom and yet for others a large open space can make them feel exposed and vulnerable. You can tackle this by dividing a space up using booths, screens (such as plants), sofa’s and comfy chairs. This gives both the sense of space but also privacy.

Sight leads us smoothly into the next sense and that is TOUCH. Often the sight of something can evoke the sensation of touching them and in turn influence the emotion we associate with that texture.  While visually appealing marble, plastic, glass and metal can be cool and sterile, Wood, stone and plants appeal to our biological need to connect with nature, and fibres such as velvet and wool we associate with being warm, soft and cosy.

The key when designing office spaces is to incorporate a mixture of these textures in order to balance our emotions. For example, a glass top desk, forest effect wallpaper and bright coloured velvet chair, combine efficiency, creativity and a sense of calm.

TASTE is harder to incorporate into design, but taste can affect your overall view and you will associate the space with the experience. Put it this way, you can be sitting in the most opulent of restaurants, but if the meal tastes awful are you going to remember the meal or the décor?  By associating a space with positive experiences, you can influence the emotions. A coffee machine placed among a soft seating area, can encourage breaks and social interaction between employees. A kitchen area or fresh fruit on display can aid healthy eating at work, which in turn increases focus, improves memory, motivation and productivity.

Closely linked to taste is the sense of SMELL and by far one of our strongest senses, as they can call up memories and powerful responses almost instantaneously. This is because olfactory bulb is part of the limbic system, the emotional and memory centre of the brain.

A certain smell has the power to instantly transport us to a different time and place, evoking emotions linked to that scent. Such as a certain perfume or flower, may remind you of your grandma and evoke a sense of calm, love and security.

It is no wonder that scent branding has become a huge marketing tool in attracting and retaining customers. By using scent, brands can connect with consumers on a deeper emotional level, resulting in a more memorable experience. Brands that have found the right scent have seen a double increase in sales.

The same can be incorporated into the workplace. Peppermint aids focus, rosemary improves memory, and lemon increases accuracy. These scents can be activated via diffusers, plants and displays of freshly cut flowers. There are also high-tech services provided by scent marketing companies like ScentAir or Air Aroma.

Finally, SOUND can have a significant impact on an employee’s work performance, both from a stimulating and a distracting aspect. Sound consultant Julian Treasure says that “Sound in a space affects us profoundly. It changes our heart rate, breathing, hormone secretion, brain waves, it affects our emotions and our cognition.”

The acoustics of a work space can often cause distractions and an inability to concentrate on the task at hand. Busy, open plan offices often have issues with sound travel. Plants, green dividers, booths, modular pods are a great way of absorbing sound in a large open space.

Creating quiet rooms enables employees to concentrate and focus when required. It is possible to pipe music into rooms to evoke different emotional responses. For instance, the sound of birds can appeal to our need to connect with nature. Where the sound of waves played in a wellness room, can aid our sense of calm and tranquility.

Conclusion

Our senses can work for us or against us. By using all 5 senses together in design, we have the ability to harness positive emotions and experiences, which in turn lead to a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce.

That is why, at Hi Design we always incorporate sensory design in everything we do, whether that be using simply using different colours and textures, strategically placing coffee machines, controlling sound levels with clever baffling or placing a ‘focus’ scented reed diffuser in a quiet room.

So, why just create an office when you could create experiences!? Touch every emotion, one sense at a time, you can create a space that doesn’t just look good, but functions well and feels amazing too.

Hi Design ‘work spaces that work’

RECYCLING IN THE WORKPLACE

“Oh no, please don’t take away MY bin!”

This week sees two recycling awareness events. ‘Recycle Awareness Week’ and ‘Recycle Now Week’ So, let’s take a look at recycling in the workplace.

Most of us now recycle at home, but do you recycle at work?

Workplaces are notoriously full of paper, disposable coffee cups, cardboard, printer cartridges and more. All this stuff is recyclable, so it should be disposed of in the correct fashion. However, getting employees to recycle, understand where to dispose of their waste, and to know what items can be recycled can be a challenge.

Though it may seem like a chore, recycling is essential to help protect the environment. Not only are you reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfill, you can also save your company money by spending less on waste disposal. It’s important that you do your part in the workplace to help encourage recycling.

Some InterestingFacts

• 1 recycled tin can save enough energy to power a television for 3 hours.
• 1 recycled glass bottle can save enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes.
• 1 recycled plastic bottle can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 3 hours.
• 70% less energy is required to recycle paper compared with making it from raw materials.

How do I encourage staff to use the recycling service? Here are some of our top tips.

Encourage senior management to get involved and lead by example: their buy-in is important. It is also beneficial for key message come from them.

Educate staff. Tell them why you are starting to recycle (why it will save money and what the environmental benefits will be). There is still a lot of confusion about what can be recycled, especially over plastics, so clearly labelled bins will make it easy to remind people to recycle.

Install printers, which need a personalised code to collect printing. This should reduce the amount of redundant paper sitting on machines waiting for collection (some of which ultimately gets put in a bin at the end of the day!) Did you know that 40% of office waste comes from paper?

Speak to cleaning staff to ensure that they recycle correctly. It’s great to separate materials in the office, but pointless if they all end up in the same big bin outside!

Remove individual under-desk bins and install centralised waste and recycling points. This increases the amount of material recycled by removing the temptation for people to easily throw-away. It is important that the rationale for this is clearly communicated in advance, as you are likely to see some initial resistance.

Make the recycling point a design feature, build it into a bespoke housing or invest in some interesting colorful bins.

If your office is not currently recycling, then changing the company’s attitudes towards it may take time. But don’t let this put you off. Use the pointers above to sway your workplace to change to recycling and begin on your Eco-friendly business path. 

Hi Design ‘work spaces that work’

HOW ‘BIOPHILIC DESIGN’ IS BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE

The term ‘Biophilia’ when translated from its Latin roots means ‘Bio’ = Life and ‘Philia’ = 'the love of' so in a nutshell, the “love of life or living systems”.

Erich Fromm, German-born American psychoanalyst, first coined the phrase to describe a psychological orientation of being attracted to all that is alive and vital. It became more well-known following the publication of Edward O Wilson's (an American Biologist) book in 1984, entitled ‘Biophilia’. He defined ‘Biophilia' as “the urge to affiliate with other forms of life” and suggests that humans’ innate tendency to seek connections with nature is rooted in our biology and has built up through thousand of years living in agrarian settings.

Over the years advanced technology and development has meant as humans we have moved further away from our natural environment. Indeed, Edward O Wilson observed how increasing rates of urbanisation were leading to a disconnection with the natural world. We began living and working in enclosed and sterile environments, literally sheltering us from the elements of nature.

As a species we are now spending more time than ever indoors – with longer hours in the office, longer commutes, and much of our leisure time focused around screens. We are missing out on the physiological benefits of exposure to greenery, fresh air and natural daylight. If you put an animal in a zoo into a ‘lean’ cage they will become stressed, agitated and miserable, it is no different for humans and yet office designs of the past have been doing just that! Our opportunities to be immersed in nature are reserved for weekends & holidays.

Scientific studies have shown that workplace environments impact how we feel, perform and interact with others. And we have discussed previously how mindfulness and well-being are at the forefront of employer’s agendas. ‘Biophilia Design’ is a powerful tool for businesses striving to keep their people engaged, happy and healthy.

Biophilia has a profound influence on us as humans, both mental & physical. When incorporated into work-space design it helps reduce the signs of stress and enhances our cognitive thinking.

BIOPHILIC DESIGN IN THE WORKPLACE

Biophilic Design incorporates reconnecting people with the natural environment through using

natural elements in design that evoke positive emotional experiences including sights, sounds and scents, such as, maximising daylight, views of nature, fresh air, water features and textures. It is about breaking down the walls between inside and outside, by bringing the outside in.

For example, a recent study from an American university found a 20% increase in productivity in people after spending one hour in nature! Plants can be used to create natural work-space dividers, absorbing sound and creating more private spaces to work and a living walls also adds a visual interest, but it is more beneficial to place it where it can be seen by many, rather than just in the entrance foyer seen by few. Amazon, Google and Apple are leading the way when it comes to investing in Biophilic design. Amazon’s greenhouse spheres mean employees can be immersed in nature and return to desks refreshed and Apple has filled its California HQ with trees.

To really connect people & nature we are going to need a lot more than a few plants. We need to look how we feel when surrounded by nature and then incorporate that into our designs. There are other elements that we can bring into our buildings such as the variation in light patterns, space and texture that fills us with this sense of peace when where are immersed in nature.

We can use natural materials such as wood, stone, exposed brick and even grass-effect flooring to add texture to spaces. Varying acoustics, such as piped bird music, water features or quiet areas to aid concentration and invoke a sense a calm that you associate with nature.

Where possible, ensure employees are next to a natural source of daylight and that there is the opportunity for fresh air, such as outdoor breakout spaces. A simple window in a hospital room has been shown to reduce both patient stays and the amount of pain medication those patients receive. 

SO HOW DOES POOR ‘AIR QUALITY’ AFFECT US?

There has been lots of new documented research that has shown poor air quality to have negative effects on thinking, health and productivity. In terms of health, there is a recognised term for it, ‘Sick Building Syndrome’ (SBS), where people in a building suffer from symptoms of illness or feel unwell for no apparent reason. Symptoms include headache, eye, nose, and throat irritation, fatigue, dizziness and nausea. The severity of symptoms is linked to the time people spend in the building and indeed they improve or disappear altogether, the longer people are away from the building.

We are taught in school that plants are indispensable to human life. Through photosynthesis, they convert the carbon dioxide we exhale into fresh oxygen, and they can also remove toxins from the air we breathe. A ‘Clean Air Study’ conducted by NASA, also found that common indoor plants can help improve air quality and neutralise the effects of sick building syndrome by removing toxic agents.

Positioning Air cleaning plants such as Aloe Vera, Peace Lily and Boston Fern near employee work areas will aid concentration as well as create interest. Leasing them on a maintenance contract keeps them healthy and removes upkeep responsibility from the facilities team.

There are other measures you can take to improve air quality at work (see below image) 

There are clear benefits to implementing ‘clean air solutions’ into the work-space! – Increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, improved health and wellness of employees. A simple test of the theory? “Open the window!” 

CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE

The Biophilic Design approach allows us to celebrate all that is good about being alive and part of nature, thereby helping to reduce stress, increase productivity, boost creativity, reduce sickness and by using often cheaper materials sourced from our region, it aligns with our CSR of reducing our carbon footprint.

Winston Churchill once said “First we shape our buildings and then our buildings shape us.” 

Biophilic Design gives us buildings that bring the outside in and allow us to get back to our biological DNA of connecting with nature.

Hi Design 'work spaces that work'