THE IMPACT OF POSITIVITY
MARCH 16, 2021| SpeedPro Pittsburgh NorthPOSITIVITY THROUGH VISUAL GRAPHICS
Visual graphics in offices and retail spaces significantly impact mood and culture. And we’re not just talking about warm fuzzy. Setting a positive tone throughout a workplace can directly impact team members and visitors alike.
It’s common sense that happiness is a critical component to the well-being and success of a team, but being happy means more than just boost morale. A study by Oxford University’s Business School found that workers are 13% more productive when happy, and a Gallup poll of 25 million American workers concluded that unhappy workers cost up to $550 billion in lost productivity, annually. Now, it may be difficult to provide unbridled joy at every turn to colleagues and customers, but fostering a welcoming, captivating work setting, you can create conditions in which people may experience greater happiness.
In a survey by Management Today Magazine, “97% of respondents said they regard their workplace as a symbol of whether or not they are valued by their employer,” and a study by Steelcase/IPSOS showed that “only 11% of workers are highly satisfied with their work environment.” Show your employees that you value their happiness and experience at work enough to put some liveliness into the space where they spend almost a third of their lives working with you on a common objective.
According to a workplace design study by Longwoods.com, “people whose office views were more attractive, regardless of content, reported reduced discomfort at work and better sleep quality at home.” Someone who works every day in a cold, drab concrete box every day is going to have a vastly different opinion of their job versus an individual who is surrounded by colorful graphics, inspirational visuals and positive messaging. Also, nearly half of people said their workplace design and décor had no personality. When was the last time that an environment with no personality or vibrancy made you think “Gee, is this place motivating or what?!”
This entire conversation is especially relevant in today’s remote environment. It’s a hard transition leaving the comforts of home for a sterile office environment. Putting more thought and effort into developing a space that feels just as welcoming as your family room is a good goal! Enticing employees back to the office is going to be a real concern in coming months.
On the retail front, large-format affirmational graphics are immensely powerful sales tools. They create a welcoming setting where people feel comfortable, and the longer they stay the more inclined they are to making purchases. What about a reception area? Do you want to give off the impression of a sterile dentist’s office or a spot that patients can relax? The “Instagrammable moment” is very important when an individual has the choice of online ordering or spending their precious time physically visiting a brick and mortar location.
Installation of wall graphics with positive messaging is the culmination of your company’s culture, creating an atmosphere which affects the emotions and mental wellbeing of your most valuable asset — your team. By creating a multifaceted environment with inviting, inspiring visuals and messaging, you too can foster an area in which people are happy to work and visit.