Aesthetics And Productivity: How Your Environment Can Impact Your Work

When you ask an HR manager about what affects employee productivity, most agree on factors like compensation, fair appraisal, work technology, work culture, and other benefits. While they do have an effect on productivity, most HR managers overlook the role workplace aesthetics plays in this context. For example, professional workspace providers like The Executive Centre heavily focus on their workspace solutions’ interior and aesthetic concepts as it directly influences generating a productive work environment. Here is a brief read to find out how a space’s interiors impact work and productivity levels. 

 Theoretical reasonings 

There are many work-related theories that support the notion of perceived r attractiveness in a person’s psychology and work behaviour. Most of these theories also present the idea that the aesthetics in a work environment delivers a positive set of attributes to an employee’s thought process throughout the time spent at the workplace to drive productivity.

 Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory 

This theory states that the attractiveness of a workplace helps employees avail the benefit of a restorative work environment. When employees are surrounded by an environment that is well-designed in terms of a good interior and a pleasant atmosphere, it allows them to restore themselves from mentally draining and stressful experiences, be it at work or home, that affects their productivity.

When employees can escape from their stressors and be around a relaxing and pleasing work environment, it effortlessly pulls their focus and attention to the surroundings (also called fascination). The aesthetic component of a work environment influences the degree of a restorative experience for an employee and how it subsequently affects their productivity. In general, employees who spend time in a beautifully restorative space recover attention capabilities, decrease stress levels, and increase work engagement.

 William Jame’s Work On Voluntary Attention 

Kalpana’s attention restoration theory also had a strong base from William Jame’s work on voluntary attention. James proposed that there are two types of attention; voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary attention demands effort to focus attention on a specific stimulus. In contrast, involuntary attention occurs when a person’s attention is naturally captured by the component of an environment and requires effort to sustain his or her attention.

Tying to indulge in voluntary attention creates stress, fatigue and other negative effects. In contrast, voluntary attention driven by aesthetics or fascination of a particular environment or situation creates a restorative environment. Again a restorative environment creates an ideal work environment for the employee to be focused and committed, which boosts productivity.

Through involuntary attention, the employee is also less likely to have recovery periods to restore their focus. For example, a well-organised, equipped, elegantly decorated, and welcoming event space is more likely to keep attendees involved, engaged and focused throughout an event than an event hosted in a basic space with no emphasis on aesthetics, interiors, or other facilities in terms of space alignment and tools.

 Aesthetics Improve Employee Satisfaction For Productivity 

Employee satisfaction and motivation are two key factors that affect productivity; we are intrinsically attracted to things that provide a feeling of art, tranquillity, contentment and happiness. 

 Office spaces or work environments that are intentionally designed also have a similar effect, where employees feel more motivated and satisfied around such workspaces and through that elevating productivity levels. This is why even for instances like meeting, workspace or conference room rental, the interior designing criteria is heavily considered. This effect has also been proven in studies.