The Value of an Aesthetic Workplace
What comes to mind when you hear somebody say “Corporate America”?
Does your imagination portray a beautiful image? Or is it something more along the lines of this…
What stands out when you look at that picture?
I noticed neutral colors, I noticed the same few construction materials, I noticed uniformity, and I noticed the efficient layout.
Some ideas such as practicality and effectiveness came to mind, but I also felt a lack of stimulation and a feeling of isolation.
The youth on college campuses are deathly afraid of desk jobs and rightly so. The soul crushing reality is made painfully aware after watching movies like Office Space or even after finally completing a corporate internship. The people who are working these jobs often become numb to their surroundings and just accept it for what it is.
By building our workplaces in the most drab colors and following the most utilitarian style guidelines that can possibly be conceived of we are stifling the ability for human ingenuity. It is the antithesis for human creative potential. In the truest sense the humanity in the workplace has been removed.
But this is not the way it has to be…
I have heard of modern aesthetic workplaces being called a “daycare for adults”. People have labeled them inefficient and a waste of resources. This might be true in the immediate sense, but we often overlook the long term intangible value in this modern world of numbers and chasing the quarterly bottom line.
Take a minute to remember a time when you saw true beauty. Maybe you thought of a painting that a loved one made, or one that a Renaissance artist created now hanging in a museum. Maybe you thought of the grandiose feats of architecture that people travel the world to see such as the Sistine Chapel or the Taj Mahal. Maybe you thought of standing on top of Pike’s Peak or the Empire State Building and viewing the landscape laid out before you.
Admiring true beauty is a transcendent experience where we can recognize the divine in humanity. We see the self actualization of the talents and creativity of other people from a moment of time or recognize the unlimited potential that the world ushers in.
So what does this have to do with work? Well…everything really!
The admiration of beauty leads to a call to adventure and the idea of aiming at something greater than oneself. It subconsciously awakens the idea of the collective striving for greatness. It represents raw human potential. We are the only known beings that are able to do this you know — that is special.
Now let’s say the average person spends 40 hours a week working during 50 of the 52 weeks in a year. That puts us at 2000 hours a year at our workplace. If you are spending 2000 hours a year in one specific location, it’s only natural for your own sake to want to enjoy that time and maximize your own potential. And with your own sense of meaning and self worth in mind, the more productive and creative you are — the better you will feel. Not only this but the more value you will bring to your team and leadership. Driving the world forward.
To desire to be in a workplace of beauty isn’t selfish or materialistic and it isn’t wasteful. It is an investment. It makes work inviting and a place for employees to thrive. It pays dividends for its duration. It boosts morale, it spurs creativity, it improves mental health, it ushers in a feeling of comfort. Why else do you think it is more commonly being used as a recruiting tactic for companies?
An aesthetic workplace allows us to be human.
Naturally in these situations it is easy to feel helpless and trapped. You might say, “I am just an employee! I don’t make these decisions and I have to pay my own bills!”
No doubt. And it is a valid point of contention. However we are the future of the workplace which means we can be the change we want to see. Especially those of us who currently are or in the future will be put in these decision making situations. Just because you cannot force your company to invest in a beautiful workplace doesn’t mean you can’t take responsibility for yourself. You can still work towards doing what is best for you.
If you don’t have the privilege to work in a beautiful workplace here are a few steps that you can take to step towards creating one.
The Value of an Aesthetic Workplace
Research & References of The Value of an Aesthetic Workplace|A&C Accounting And Tax Services
Source
0 Comments