What colours to choose for the office to boost employee creativity?

In today’s offices, the impact of interior design on employee efficiency is being used more and more consciously. Great emphasis is placed on ergonomics, aesthetics and the atmosphere in the workplace. In this article, we will look at the role of colour in the office space in enhancing staff creativity. It is worth pointing out that choosing the right colour palette is not only a question of visual style, but also a powerful tool to support creative powers and stimulate the imagination. We will present colours that boost employee creativity, as well as ways to implement them in the workplace.

The psychology of colour in the office. How do different colours affect employee well-being and performance?

Colours have a significant impact on our mood, emotions, and also on our performance. Their role in shaping an inspiring and creative atmosphere in the workplace is therefore undeniable. Focus, thinking processes, engagement and team creativity can be effectively influenced by a thoughtful office colour scheme. Warm colours, such as yellow and orange can stimulate your energy, while cold colours, such as green or blue, help with focus and relaxation. The right colours can both emphasise a business’s identity and improve the quality of work. Needless to say, an inappropriate colour palette can have the opposite effect, for example, causing feelings of anxiety, irritability or drowsiness.

Read more in  How different parts of office design support employee efficiency.

What colours to choose for the office to stimulate employee creativity?

The conscious use of the right hues in office interiors will create a space with conditions that foster innovation, creativity and positive energy among those staying in a business headquarters. Here are the key colour suggestions to stimulate employee creativity.

Purple for the imagination. How to use this colour in the office?

Purple effectively unleashes layers of creativity. It has a beneficial effect on creativity by stimulating the right hemisphere of the brain, responsible for spatial imagination and abstract thinking. However, it is important to use the appropriate hue. In the long term, dark and heavily saturated colours used in the open plan office can adversely affect staff Optimally, a special room such as a conference room can be furnished in purple to hold creative brainstorming sessions.

Featured article: Do all offices need a conference room? Explore alternatives.

Green – the colour of nature and creativity. Benefits of incorporating green into the workspace

Green is possibly a solution for any office space. It provides a calming and refreshing effect. It is associated with a feeling of trust and generates a sense of security. It helps you to focus and relax, while having a positive effect on your eyesight, giving relief to tired eyes. Green interiors help clear-thinking and focusing attention on the tasks at hand.

Green vegetation is an excellent choice. Putting potted plants in the office not only helps to improve air quality, but also adds a natural touch, in keeping with the spirit of biophilic design. Green hues in the office support innovative, practical thinking, contemplation and all-important decision-making. This colour will work well for both workspaces and the relaxation area. Additionally, an office space can benefit from eye-catching tree-shaped acoustic partitions, available in many colours, including green.

Yellow and orange for motivation and positive energy. How to use these colours effectively in the workplace without going overboard?

Orange and yellow are invigorating, joyful colours that promote creative thinking. The light, pastel hues of these colours bring warmth to the interior. Intense yellows and oranges work better as accents, e.g. in the form of a sunny Packman chair or other decorative additions. Energetic hues are often used in coworking spaces, chillout areas, office cafeterias and kitchens, as well as in the offices of marketing agencies. Yellow and orange are colours that improve performance, especially in departments where creativity matters most.

Yellow boosts optimism, enlivens the interior and is helpful for better interpersonal relationships and increased openness to information. This intense colour enhances the workings of the mind, as it activates the nervous system for faster problem solving and bold decisions. However, it should be introduced in moderation to prevent overstimulation in impulsive individuals.

Orange is a juicy and energetic colour that stimulates and increases enthusiasm. The warmth of this colour evokes positive emotions, motivates and supports creative thinking. It helps focus attention on detail. Orange can be useful for tasks that require an out-of-the-box approach. It is ideal for rooms where innovative projects are created. Like yellow, it has a characteristic intensity which you may need to tone down by using muted hues of it or on fairly unintrusive supplemental accents.

Blue for calmness and concentration. How will it affect the creativity of the team?

Blue is a safe colour, associated with the sky, water and open space. The light blue colours optically enlarge a room and bring lightness to it. Blue helps with focus and thinking clearly, while stimulating the imagination, which makes coming up with novel ideas and solving problems creatively easier. It is ideal for conference rooms, training rooms and the offices of staff with more responsibility. Many people respond positively to the hues of blue because they inspire confidence and are associated with professionalism. Blue can also be used to visually ‘cool down’ rooms that heat up a lot in the summer.

Balanced neutrality. Do whites, beiges and greys encourage creativity at work?

At first glance, the role of whites, beiges and greys in an office space seems less exciting compared to the other vibrant colours, but these neutral shades also have an important function in creating an atmosphere suitable for work. White is related to a minimalist design style and makes it easier to focus on important tasks. Neutral colours such as white, beige and grey provide the perfect backdrop for creative ideas. They also work well for accentuating colourful interior details that can inspire employees and stimulate their imagination.

What our expert says

It is worth noting that white, beige and grey are all-purpose colours that go well with many other colours. This versatility allows easy adjustment of office designs, including adding accents in different colours (like our mobile office partitions), without having to make significant changes to the underlying décor. A functional solution, SONIQ acoustic partitions enable you to quickly create a breakout space for a specific task, says Eliza Donek, Product Manager at Mikomax.

To find out more, read How does office appearance impact your business image?

How can colours be used effectively to enhance the creativity of office staff?

Avoid uniformly coloured walls, as this causes monotony, whereas your aim is to activate staff as much as possible. It is advisable to follow both the theory of colour psychology and the preferences and needs of employees in order to create an inspiring and motivating working environment. Stimulating creativity through the use of diversified colours is a recommended approach. A multicoloured colour palette can help shape new ideas.

A colourful environment in the office will help stimulate the brain and facilitate associative thinking. This is particularly beneficial for design processes and creative tasks. One innovative solution is Ligo cubes, or modular office furniture, providing almost unlimited possibilities for adapting the interior layout to the current needs of the team. The individual system components are available in a wide range of colours and can be combined as desired.

Also read: What makes employees feel at home in the office?

Red, orange and yellow are considered to be energising, stimulating and inspiring colours. The use of such accents in the office can encourage activity, interaction and the exchange of ideas. Some companies use these colours in creative brainstorming spaces or in chillout areas where employees can relax and absorb more energy.

How can you use office sofas to create a modern chillout zone? Read the article.

You don’t often have to completely change the interior to achieve an inspiring atmosphere. Interesting elements in the design such as colourful soft seating furniture will redefine the space and let employees perceive their surroundings in favourable light. The choice of colours should also be tailored to suit the personality of a business and the industry it represents. For example, an advertising agency’s office will prefer more bold and expressive colours, while a law firm will opt for restrained, classic shades.

Read the article: Discover the most popular trends in open-plan space design.

Designing an inspiring and creative workspace in the office – more hints

When planning the colour scheme for the office, it is a good idea to maintain a good balance between intense and neutral shades. An excess of stimulating and sharp colours can lead to disorientation or overstimulation. In an office space, different colours should be juxtaposed in such a way as not to overwhelm employees. Moreover, it is important to take into account the individual preferences of the employees and consult them on the choice of colours in their workplace. This will make them feel more engaged and comfortable in the office. It is also advisable to monitor the reaction of employees to the changes made. The effectiveness of colours can be assessed by analysing performance levels and job satisfaction.

To find out more, read What offices do employees dream of?

The colour scheme in the office space is one of the key factors influencing the creativity of the team. A thoughtful selection of the right hues will help to create an inspiring and inviting working atmosphere, which will make a significant contribution to the efficiency and quality of work performed. With the skilful use of colour in the interior design, the office will become a place where work is a pleasure, and creative thinking a natural part of everyday life.

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