The Importance of Art in the Workplace

Imagine walking your child into his first day of kindergarten and being met with bare, white walls devoid of the bright primary colors, alphabet borders, and apple-related artwork we’ve come to expect. Or, worse yet, what if the walls displayed images of menacing clowns and scared children? You’d probably turn right around and consider home schooling.  

High Frequency Arts’ owner Jill Lehman says, “Often walls and open spaces are empty and overlooked, filled with common or outdated decor and traditionally under-invested real estate when instead can be utilized to create visual, meaningful, and lasting impressions.” 

Art in the Workplace Expresses your Company’s Brand 

Just as art is a window into a person’s soul, artwork in the workplace is a way to visually represent the aura of a company’s brand. First impressions are critical. Beyond avoiding emotionally scaring children, it’s important to consider what impression people get when they enter your place of business. Are the walls unembellished and the environment sterile or do you treat visitors’ senses with appealing colors and interesting things to look at?  

Art Creates a Positive, Creative Environment 

In the same way that framed images of magnified fresh produce put you in the right mood to enjoy a Subway sandwich, inspiring artwork in your workplace can put visitors and employees in the right frame of mind to be creative and energized. 

Engaging with art has also shown to build skills such as problem solving, collaboration and creative thinking in children – the same critical skills necessary in the workplace, not only for artistically oriented positions, but for jobs in STEM fields, as well. 

Art-Enhanced Workplaces Increase Productivity 

When looking at art, your brain gets to take a little break from the real world and science tells us that’s a good thing. By giving our brains a break, we improve focus, sharpness and motivation, all of which lead to increased productivity. 

Subjects in an Exeter study were asked to do an hour of work in four different environments ranging from the bare basics to an enhanced workplace with art and plants. The result: Employees worked 15% quicker in enhanced environments. And, they were 32% more productive if they also had personal input on the art in their surroundings. 

Art Works at Work 

You don’t have to be a part-time professional art curator to choose the best art for your space. Today, there are a myriad of resources at your disposal. You can even outsource the entire task! One of the newest additions to the Hub & Spoke Design Center, High Frequency Arts, does just that. They put together a customized portfolio of artwork that reflects your brand, desired outcomes, and budget. And, they handle everything from planning to installation. 

We practice what we preach at Hub & Spoke. We have a public, rotating art display featuring works by local artists in our Community Connect space. Come by and check it out. To see how you can become part of an exciting community of creators, makers, and doers, get in touch today.