Comments on: Put People in a Design-Friendly Atmosphere to Inspire Excellent Work http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/ Develop your happiness at work. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:02:21 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Five Reasons to Love Where You Work! | Create Business Growth http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-1188 Five Reasons to Love Where You Work! | Create Business Growth Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:21:52 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-1188 [...] which he talked about the effect(s) of putting people in a design-friendly atmosphere in order to inspire excellent work.  After all, if the environment you work in is relaxing and comfortable, wouldn’t you look [...] [...] which he talked about the effect(s) of putting people in a design-friendly atmosphere in order to inspire excellent work.  After all, if the environment you work in is relaxing and comfortable, wouldn’t you look [...]

]]> By: The Work Happy Guy http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-214 The Work Happy Guy Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:17:14 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-214 Hey Brian, it would be cool to put these offices next to each other so people can see the difference in work environments. Maybe one day I can put a book together of before and after pictures of businesses that had an awful design and changed it into a design friendly place. It could also have comments from the employees and how it changed the work environment. I'll add it to my list of projects. Hey Brian, it would be cool to put these offices next to each other so people can see the difference in work environments. Maybe one day I can put a book together of before and after pictures of businesses that had an awful design and changed it into a design friendly place. It could also have comments from the employees and how it changed the work environment. I’ll add it to my list of projects.

]]> By: Brian http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-212 Brian Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:00:52 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-212 I have experienced this myself. Early in my career I worked in a well designed office building with marble floors, solid wood desks and tall windows that let in plenty of light from multiple directions. Paintings and other pieces of art were used throughout the building. It was truly a joy to work in that environment and I'm sure it helped my productivity and overall happiness, although I didn't appreciate it at the time. Later in my career I worked in "cubicle land" with brown cubicles, brown carpet and white noise machines to drown out phone conversations. The windows were only on one side of the room. This left many people with dark cubicles, forcing them to use table lamps in mid summer! I still have nightmares about that place! People were generally unhappy. This is something that more business owners should think about. Of course cost is an issue, but I believe that a lot of businesses suffer employee dissatisfaction and turnover as a result of ignoring good design in their work environments. I have experienced this myself. Early in my career I worked in a well designed office building with marble floors, solid wood desks and tall windows that let in plenty of light from multiple directions. Paintings and other pieces of art were used throughout the building. It was truly a joy to work in that environment and I’m sure it helped my productivity and overall happiness, although I didn’t appreciate it at the time.

Later in my career I worked in “cubicle land” with brown cubicles, brown carpet and white noise machines to drown out phone conversations. The windows were only on one side of the room. This left many people with dark cubicles, forcing them to use table lamps in mid summer! I still have nightmares about that place! People were generally unhappy.

This is something that more business owners should think about. Of course cost is an issue, but I believe that a lot of businesses suffer employee dissatisfaction and turnover as a result of ignoring good design in their work environments.

]]> By: The Work Happy Guy http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-199 The Work Happy Guy Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:53:47 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-199 Hey Amir, I would love to see what type of set-up this cool company created. More offices should have bean bags and other places to relax, so people can get into a different state of thought. I bet it helped to shake out of their cobwebs and see a problem from a fresh angle. It sounds like the second company tried to make the environment enticing, which made you appreciate working there. Hey Amir, I would love to see what type of set-up this cool company created. More offices should have bean bags and other places to relax, so people can get into a different state of thought. I bet it helped to shake out of their cobwebs and see a problem from a fresh angle. It sounds like the second company tried to make the environment enticing, which made you appreciate working there.

]]> By: Amir | Passion-Based Learning http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-198 Amir | Passion-Based Learning Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:31:28 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-198 I've read studies about increased productivity due to cooler office design and was skeptical until I myself worked in two companies - one mediocre and boring, and the other super cool with bean bags. Loved the second a lot more. Plus we're allowed to come to work wearing what we like. I used to go in my shorts almost everyday. So comfy, pretty and homey. So yeah, I pretty much agree with you. I’ve read studies about increased productivity due to cooler office design and was skeptical until I myself worked in two companies – one mediocre and boring, and the other super cool with bean bags. Loved the second a lot more. Plus we’re allowed to come to work wearing what we like. I used to go in my shorts almost everyday.

So comfy, pretty and homey. So yeah, I pretty much agree with you.

]]> By: The Work Happy Guy http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-194 The Work Happy Guy Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:16:48 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-194 Hey Rebecca, I enjoy reading your blog. Ergonomics (Feng Shui) should be used to help people work happier. I believe great companies are heading in that direction. Hey Rebecca,
I enjoy reading your blog. Ergonomics (Feng Shui) should be used to help people work happier. I believe great companies are heading in that direction.

]]> By: The Work Happy Guy http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-193 The Work Happy Guy Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:14:09 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-193 Hey Chris, Governments put money into weird things and then we look at our schools and wonder why we have so many dropouts. We should try sprucing up our schools and see how it effects the attendance rate. Hey Chris,
Governments put money into weird things and then we look at our schools and wonder why we have so many dropouts. We should try sprucing up our schools and see how it effects the attendance rate.

]]> By: Rebecca Matheson http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-191 Rebecca Matheson Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:56:47 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-191 Thanks for linking through to Ergo Consulting. I've worked there (part time) for a few years now - I'm still a student. After working in one other job - I recognise that the environment really does make all the difference. When the 'break area' is a corner down the back with no natural light it affects your whole day. Ergo is something else! <em>Rebecca Matheson's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/allsaidblog/~3/270013341/' rel="nofollow">Finding holes</a></em> Thanks for linking through to Ergo Consulting. I’ve worked there (part time) for a few years now – I’m still a student. After working in one other job – I recognise that the environment really does make all the difference. When the ‘break area’ is a corner down the back with no natural light it affects your whole day. Ergo is something else!

Rebecca Matheson’s last blog post..Finding holes

]]> By: Chris http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-190 Chris Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:51:19 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-190 If schools look like five star hotels, I am sure we will have 0% absentee rate and teachers will never call in sick. <em>Chris's last blog post..<a href='http://watdawat.com/2008/04/14/i-apologize-for-my-dust/' rel="nofollow">I Apologize For My Dust</a></em> If schools look like five star hotels, I am sure we will have 0% absentee rate and teachers will never call in sick.

Chris’s last blog post..I Apologize For My Dust

]]> By: The Work Happy Guy http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/comment-page-1/#comment-188 The Work Happy Guy Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:10:57 +0000 http://www.workhappynow.com/2008/04/14/put-people-in-a-design-friendly-atmosphere-to-inspire-excellent-work/#comment-188 Hey MtL, cleaning the space around us does create a better environment. I´ve noticed dust on my computer and I ignore it and tell myself that I´ll clean it tomorrow. I never do. When I get back to work it will be the first thing I do. Cubicles aren´t all bad, especially if we have some cool co-workers around us. Hey MtL, cleaning the space around us does create a better environment. I´ve noticed dust on my computer and I ignore it and tell myself that I´ll clean it tomorrow. I never do. When I get back to work it will be the first thing I do.

Cubicles aren´t all bad, especially if we have some cool co-workers around us.

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