Office Design: Impress the Best

We live in a world where people spend more time in the office than their own home; it’s a place where they need to be their most productive, creative and focused. We take a look at office design that can impress the best talent, whose office looks the part, and how to recreate the look…

 

Embrace natural light and planting like Google

Myriad studies show that natural light and planting makes for a more productive working environment, Google, however, is taking it one step further. They’re exploring the benefits of "biophilic design", nature-inspired changes that can have a positive impact on productivity and stress. Biophilic design goes much further than office plants, ranging from the presence of water features, a lighting system to mimic outdoor light and varying airflow.

Get the look - Okay, so maybe you can’t install a water fountain or a new lighting system, but what you can do is mimic nature with some great art. Combining office planting with nature-inspired artworks can help to improve the perception of space as well as brighten the look of the office. Joanna Charlotte’s nature based statement pieces are the perfect way to incorporate nature-inspired art into the office. 

Pine Forest in Argyllshire

Joanna Charlotte

Prove you’re more than a corporate machine like JP Morgan Chase

When people come to your office for the first time, the design gives an immediate first impression of your brand. It’s not only the physical representation of the personality, but a potential employee will be picturing themselves working for you.

JP Morgan Chase reduces the corporate feel by using artwork to emulate their brand values such as diversity and innovation as well as creating an energising environment for employees. In fact, they display artwork from every country they operate in. This not only enhances the office but also embraces their global identity, surrounding staff with various cultural influences from around the world and emphasising their global reach – it will certainly entice new talent looking to join a company that encourages global mobility.

Get the look - at Rise Art, we work with artists from all over the world, to start with check out Rebecca King, who draws inspiration from the world’s great cities.

 

New Yorker

Rebecca King

Emulate the office culture Like Red Bull

“Culture”…It’s a real buzzword in talent acquisition and crucial for potential employees– can they see themselves working there, is it a culture that’s right for them? Red Bull has transformed their offices into a physical embodiment of the brand ethos.  There are swings instead of chairs; a giant movie wall playing Red Bull content, there is even a recording studio for the Red Bull artists, all perfectly showcasing the brand's passion for, and immersion in, sport and music. 

Get the look - It may not be possible to undertake a complete office refurbishment and not everyone needs a themed office. To demonstrate a brand culture more discretely, try renting work from the Rise Art website, like Omers Worldwide do. They asked staff to be involved in the selection of the artwork and rotate the works so that everyone is surrounded by works that they like. 

 

Searching for Nector

Alison Johnson

Get Creative Like Skype

This may seem an obvious one, but it’s important to consider the purpose of each space within the office. Many companies, like Skype, Facebook, and the British Library are choosing to adapt the design to suit the purpose of the area.

Instead of formal meeting rooms with big desks and hard-back chairs, these spaces are increasingly being designed to emulate lounges, adorned with strategically placed soft furnishings and bright cushions. More relaxed communal spaces can provide a distinction from the desk space, be used as an informal meeting area for impromptu brainstorming sessions and also encourage collaboration and communication among employees.  

Get the look - Whilst you can’t always invest in a massive overhaul of communal spaces you can do other things to provide variation. Google, for instance, worked with Rise Art to carefully select artwork that would create an inspiring environment to encourage idea generation for their video-makers.

An uninspired, lacklustre meeting room won’t make a stimulating setting and if you want to attract talent who are passionate about big ideas and innovation, you need to show them that you are too. These works from Alison Johnson have an energetic feel to them without being too bright and busy to distract employees.

If you’ve been inspired to give your office a spruce, contact our corporate team for a free consultation!