CAN ART MAKE YOU HAPPIER?

What does your office space look like? Have you had to convert a part of your home into your work space? Are you returning to work after a time away? Wherever you do your work, if it's in an office environment, research suggests you'll work more productively when you make it your own.

“Art has been proven to increase productivity, enhance wellbeing and help creative thinking, making it an essential addition to any home office,” says Patrick McCrae, CEO of UK art consultancy ARTIQ.

The evidence comes from research studies such as those conducted by Dr. Craig Knight at the University of Exeter's School of Psychology. Knight's team compared the efficiency levels of workers in different types of environments:

  • Lean: a workspace with just the tools required to do the task
  • Enhanced: worker given a space with art and plants placed by researcher
  • Empowered: worker arranges their space with art and plants how they want

The results showed that employees in the enhanced space worked approximately 17% better than workers in the 'lean' workspace. And, when people had control over their workspace were they were happier, healthier and up to 32% more productive.

Dr. Knight admits: “In 12 years we have never found that lean offices create better results". So, whether you work at home or in an office, think about how you can personalise your space and how an original piece of art could bring you the benefits of being healtheir, happier and more productive.

What can you see from your desk? A 2018 poll by YouGov and Affordable Art Fair found 65% of workers couldn't see any art from their desk, even though 27% said having art visible in their workspace made them feel happier.

'It’s the small things in a workplace that make a big difference on your day to day life – and art has a huge role to play in this.’ Dr Harriet Shortt, Associate Professor in Organisation Studies at the University of the West of England and an expert on the workplace environment. 'These findings prove that artwork makes workers feel happier, more peaceful and more creative.'

Is it time to reconsider any bland bare walls that might surround your workforce?

Want to know more? Read more about Dr Knight's research in this Guardian article from 2016 'Art works: how art in the office boosts staff productivity'.

Choose an original artwork for your office space from our collection.

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