Personnel Today thought that Gen Z workers had no more reasons to quit their jobs.
The lack of respect for the environment, incompetent managers, and the refusal to provide iced coffees during hot weather are all reasons that have been given to us by Gen Zers as to why they will quit their jobs. These factors, we were told, would send employers into a frenzy of meetings and initiatives.
This research shows that an uninspiring workplace can really affect productivity. – Simon Watson.
Now, despite how unlikely it may seem, there is a new excuse to quit. According to new data, one fifth of Gen Z workers believe their mental health is affected by their employers’ disregard for workplace design. Nearly half (46%) are willing to quit their jobs over a dull office.
Who would have thought of such a thing… a dull office. Quel horreur! You may be wondering how you can make your office more inspiring. Nice pictures, it seems, will make your office more inspiring. Nice pictures won’t just stop Gen Z from quitting; they will also increase their productivity.
A study by the tech firm Kinly found that Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhone boosted employee productivity. It boosted performance for 38% of employees and sparked more creative thinking among 30%. Monet and Kandinsky were not far behind.
The figures are included in a new report entitled The Art of Productivity. It explores the ways that classic art, digital displays, and visual design can improve office performance, mental well-being, and retention, especially among Gen Z.
The research tells us: “At this time, when Britain’s productivity has stagnated and benefits like ping-pong tables and mindfulness applications are failing to impress, the research suggests that we have overlooked the most obvious tools: the walls surrounding us.”
Researchers used AI emotion tracking software to investigate how art affects workplace performance. Van Gogh’s Starry Nightproduced the best results. Over a third (38%) of workers showed improved productivity, and 30% demonstrated more creative thinking. It was the painting that most likely to boost your workday.
We are Kandinsky
Other masterpieces were not far behind. Displaying Claude Monet’s Bouquet of Sunflowers, for example, increased focus by 27%. Kandinsky’s Blue Rider, on the other hand, increased creative thinking by 18%. I don’t think Kandinsky or Monet intended for their artwork to be used as the basis of AI emotion-tracking technology, but times have changed.
Has anyone asked the people who say they will quit what they plan to do afterward? Researchers are creating a “employee that cried wolf scenario” here. We’ll probably never know.
Simon Watson, Kinly’s head of innovation, says that while he doesn’t expect every boss to buy a Van Gogh for their office, a dull environment can really affect productivity. Give people something to look at that inspires them to do their best. (Posters and reproductions are cheaper, Simon.)
He continued: “For Gen Z the office should not feel like a gray box. Expect grey results if it happens. “New audio and video technologies are essential for creating these inspiring environments.”
Ping pong perks
Sarah Cox is a workplace futurist who supports this proposition: “We are seeing physical space being treated as a part of employee value proposition.” Free snacks and ping-pong tables are no longer enough. People want to be inspired. People want to feel inspired.
Personnel Today’s decision to remove the ping-pong table from its office caused a lot of upset amongst younger employees. They even muttered that they were going to quit. But they didn’t.
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