What are the benefits of art in the workplace?

Decorative image — How art transforms modern workspaces
What nurtures interaction? Culture and art are a vital part of how our minds are cared for during the working day and beyond.
Written by
Sujata Burman

It has long been known that colours can affect our mood. French artist Yves Klein was obsessed with the sky, and how colour can be attached to emotions, while American painter Georgia O'Keeffe used colour in a more abstract way to express feelings. Works by both of these famous art icons (among others) can be found inside Tate Modern, a neighbour to the Blue Fin Building, which houses a Fora workspace that has art and wellbeing at its core.

The way we work has transitioned. There is no doubt that hybrid work has had a positive influence on our lives, but since the pandemic, Fora research has reported that 80% of people have experienced ‘workplace anxiety’ when hybrid working first became commonplace, while 59% of Londoners reported experiencing workplace anxiety at least once a week. Wellbeing needs to be weaved into the workplace, and this is where culture and art comes in. “Art can support employee engagement by promoting interaction both within the office space and between employees,” says Dr Craig Knight, Doctor of Workplace Psychology. Find art dressing the Fora workspace within Blue Fin Building, spread across the walls and on the surfaces, using colour to offer an area of brightness and belonging. “Science has shown that when people feel cared for, their psychological comfort tends to increase just as their anxiety decreases.” Dr Knight continues.

“I want the art to sing the same way the plants and beautiful design do,” says Kitty Dinshaw from Subject Matter, an art consultancy focusing on underrepresented groups. Dinshaw spearheaded the curation of art inside Fora’s Blue Fin Building space, keeping its proximity with Tate Modern's collection in mind. “Research from the Freelands Foundation tells us that in 2021, Tate acquired 637 new works, and only 36% of those were by women… Across the art world, female and female identifying artists are substantially less successful than male artists.” This is why Dinshaw and Fora decided to bring this into the storytelling of its art, selecting seven all-female British artists to expose their work – a thoughtful process for members to engage with.

Find the peaceful and nature-filled worlds of Millie Toyin Olateju in the workspace, while Olateju is impulsive when choosing colours for her artworks “they are dependent on my mood when I am making.” Then, Sumuyya Khader’s work harnesses collectivism and togetherness – she uses colour to add the feeling of warmth. All of the art offers an eclectic journey for Fora members, a moment to interact with these visions. “Humans need stimulation,” says Dinshaw. “People need to have something that can ignite the creative part of their brains, even if they don't believe they are in a creative profession.”

A blending of home and work during the pandemic has shifted how we think of our environments. Spending more time inside means that research has shown 61% of people agree that bringing art into the office, or making the office more homely would help decrease their feelings of anxiety. “All forms of enrichment in a space alleviates anxiety,” says Dr Knight. Designing a location with humans at the forefront is key, and what Fora describes as mixing the second and third space - this goes beyond the ergonomically designed desks and chairs in Fora’s Blue Fin Building workspace, and extends to the beautifully designed event space and hydroponic self-watering ‘Farm Tower’ growing fresh produce. The enriching atmosphere, human-led designs and art affects the mood, and in turn, performance.

What’s on your doorstep at a Fora workspace is considered too. Here the social and cultural context extends from the office to the experience when leaving and entering the workspace. Blue Fin Building sits in the Bankside area, a cultural quarter in itself with many landmarks nearby to explore. Join a production at Shakespeare’s Globe, visit artist studios inside Oxo Tower or catch a show at Royal Festival Hall. In the nearby Borough, there’s even more shaping the area. Enjoy culinary treats from around the world at Borough Market, right by the towering architectural icon The Shard, which houses a Fora workspace on Floors 24/25. Borough is home to three more Fora workspaces, one of which is inside Borough Yards, set within reimagined railway arches filled with shopping and dining destinations. Meanwhile in the orbit of the musical institution Ministry of Sound, are two of Fora’s Southwark Bridge Road spots, right by Elephant & Castle, which is undergoing a bustling transformation as a creative hub.

Aside from creating a welcoming spirit, the art featured across Fora’s Blue Fin Building space has a human energy. Five small pieces by Staffordshire–based Kris Lamorena are an abstract melding of faces, evoking familiarity as they are taken from what the artist has spotted on the street, in social media and from on screen. “By abstracting the portraits, she imbues them with a certain identity - we can always catch a glimpse of someone we recognise,” says Dinshaw. For Lamorena, she invites “the viewer to their own interpretation and join the conversation about identity and representation.” More talking points for those happenstance coffee machine moments on a Tuesday.

Discover more about our workspaces south of the river here.

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