Art In The Workplace: The Secret To Well-Being And Performance At Work?

What if displaying works of art in your company’s workplace was the secret to boosting employee productivity and performance while preserving their mental health?

According to scientific and academic studies, art has properties that align with the performance objectives of companies in the service sector. Exposure to beautiful works of art while at work has been shown to have benefits for our mental health and improve our performance by reducing stress and increasing creativity and social cohesion. So why not combine employee well-being with increased productivity?

Mental well-being and psychological comfort

Stressed and anxious employees do not perform as well as motivated and calm employees. Therefore, art has properties that reduce stress and anxiety that makes the work environment a more peaceful place. Admiring an artwork also allows the brain to take “mental breaks” and consciously disconnect for a few seconds, which makes it easier to get back to work and reduces cognitive fatigue.

In addition, depending on the artwork chosen, it can improve the overall mood of employees. For example, a very colorful piece, whether abstract or realistic, contributes to increased happiness, and happier employees are also more efficient. Motivation will also be increased tenfold as employees will be in better working conditions. So, a colorful, relaxing, and aesthetic work atmosphere helps employees be happier and more focused on their tasks.

Therefore, art improves the psychological comfort of employees, reducing the risk of burnout in the long term and preserving mental health, which contributes to companies’ CSR objectives.

Creativity and innovation, driving performance

In addition to mental comfort and reduced stress or anxiety, art in the workplace also improves creativity. Exposure to an artwork stimulates divergent thinking, which is responsible for our ability to generate new ideas. Whether it’s launching a new product, an advertising campaign, or tackling a complex legal issue, art allows employees to stimulate their creativity to solve complex problems in unexpected or unimagined ways. They can also come up with innovative ideas to differentiate a company when launching a marketing campaign.

In addition, it improves employees’ open-mindedness, allowing them to look at problems from a different angle and imagine innovative solutions. This improves the efficiency and productivity of employees and collaborators, which in turn improves the overall performance of the company.

Art in the workplace as a factor in social and cultural cohesion

Another key point of having artworks in the workplace: it is a conversation starter. Employees will have a topic of conversation that comes up naturally, allowing everyone to express their ideas and opinions and compare their arguments with their colleagues. It will no longer be necessary to start a conversation by talking about the weather because the artworks will spark conversation, encouraging colleagues to interact. Consequently it creates a new form of social interaction within the company, fostering a working environment of trust and solidarity.

It is even possible to go further especially by setting up temporary exhibitions or regularly renewing the works on display. As a result, it will energize the internal life of the company while improving relations between colleagues and the artistic culture of employees. Interest in art becomes then collective, strengthening the sense of belonging and contributing to improved company performance driven by the development of synergy resulting from conversations between employees.

The impact of art in the workplace on image and employer branding

At last, the final advantage of art in the workplace relates to employer branding. A company that takes the time and invests in artistic decoration for its offices reflects a number of values:

• a commitment to employee well-being, in line with CSR commitments
• the involvement of all employees, regardless of their position in the hierarchy, and consideration for all employees
• prestige access to learning and culture
• open-mindedness and cultural openness with an interest in art in all its forms

Corporate culture is thus improved by a stronger sense of belonging within teams. It is also a way for the company to differentiate itself from its competitors, whether among future employees, stakeholders, or visitors. Depending on the company’s sector of activity, it can also help strengthen its image and anchor its corporate culture within the office, where it all begins.

Conclusion

Fewer stress-related absences, a boost in creativity and innovation, and livelier conversations among colleagues are just some of the perks that come from displaying artwork in the workplace. More motivated, less stressed, and more cooperative employees are synonymous with better overall performance within teams. The return on investment is therefore twofold: calmer and happier employees at work (which contributes to certain corporate social responsibility objectives) and positive economic benefits linked to this increase in productivity.

So don’t wait any longer, browse our catalog of works available for lease now to decorate your walls and shelves and admire the improvements at all levels of your company. If help needed our Artsper for Pros service will be more than happy to help you.