10 top tips for how HR leaders can inject creative energy into their workplace 31/03/2010
Kursty Groves, went behind the scenes of some of the world’s most innovative companies to find out – first hand - how they use their physical environment to help support a creative work environment and how they cultivated strong links between facilities and HR departments.
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1. Shaping creative spaces
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2. Employee self-expression
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3. Huddle up work areas
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4. Set team decorating Challenges
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5. Spontaneous encounters
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6. Breathe life into the company
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7. Create spaces for scribbling
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8. Time for reflection
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9. Encourage experimentation
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10. Get away - go offsite
1. Shaping creative spaces
The physical space can be used as a tool within the creative process and can help shape a creative culture. Contrary to common assumption, you don’t need to commit to a complete refurb or hire celebrity architects to shape an inspiring, buzzy workspace.
Great creative spaces don’t have to cost a fortune. Many exciting spaces are made using reclaimed furniture and objects. People become resourceful and very creative when given a budget to stick to – and it can be fun.
2. Employee self-expression
Allow people to create their own ‘home’ at work. Permission for self-expression through displaying things that are interesting to them enables a connection with colleagues on a more personal level for easy ideas sharing.
3. Huddle up work areas
Generating a creative buzz is easier when colleagues have ample opportunities to bounce thoughts and ideas. When space gets tight, rather than converting that meeting room into more desking, protect the shared space and huddle up work areas.
4. Set team decorating Challenges
Set teams the Challenge of decorating shared spaces. Set a theme and choose areas that are not customer-facing (the loos are a good place to start) to lower any ‘fear factor’ about getting it ‘wrong’.
5. Spontaneous encounters
Some of the best ideas have come from serendipitous encounters, so create many opportunities for people to bump into each other throughout the day. Provide a free kitchen in your office and use food as a lure.
6. Breathe life into the company
Hallways are often overlooked as tools for communicating and generating excitement. Hang stimulating art, soon-to-be-released products, business updates or information about people in the company along circulation paths. And keep them changing to grab people’s attention.
7. Create spaces for scribbling
‘Shared thinking’ allows ideas to be developed and honed as they happen. So create plenty of opportunities for people to scribble ideas on the walls for others to see. Transform entire surfaces into a canvas, and make sure there’s an abundant supply of colourful marker pens or chalk.
8. Time for reflection
The creative brain works best when it is fed a problem and then allowed to reflect. Create deliberate barriers in well-used paths or provide places to play games, to slow people down and give them the space they need to really think.
9. Encourage experimentation
Sometimes we need to get messy to create. But often, especially with ‘clean desk’ policies, people don’t feel free to try out their ideas – warts and all. Provide hidden spaces where teams can experiment without fear of judgement.
10. Get away - go offsite
Even the most creative people in the most creative companies with the most creative offices need to go offsite. Getting away from the hyper-connectivity of today’s wireless world is essential for ensuring a team achieves focus. Make sure that the venue is set up to Challenge thinking free of rules. For inspiring offsite meeting spaces, visit Kursty’s creative venue finder: http://www.spacehopper.com.
Purchase the book: I Wish I Worked There!
Photograph: by Magnus Arrevad
Kursty Groves, author, I Wish I Worked There!
Previously a mechanical engineer and aerobics instructor (yes – at the same time!), Kursty Groves is an award-winning designer, innovation consultant, and the co-founder of Headspace, a consultancy that specialises in sourcing, designing and managing creative spaces for business.
