A creative environment

Walking around the agency office today, I was struck by the difference between that office space and the office I used to work in. Granted, they are completely different industries--creative vs healthcare--so I shouldn't be that surprised at the different vibe, but it's just a completely different feeling.

After 6 1/2 years in a cubefarm, I was really turned off by the idea of ever setting foot in an office again. Now I realize it wasn't the concept of working in an office that I was railing against, it was that particular culture and environment. Even though the office space was decorated in a hip, modern way, it still somehow came off as sterile and void of personality. And even though I had creative elements in my personal workspace, they were overshadowed by the cold, soul-sucking nature of the bureaucracy in which I worked.

Not so with the agency. In yesterday's post I mentioned some of the fun stuff, like the signage on the bathroom doors (the inside of the door I quoted, incidentally, said "please use soap"), the decor and the free lunches. Today, I noticed that nearly every surface served as a canvas for creativity: corkboard walls, shelves of inspiration in the form of magazines and books, the individuality expressed through decorations of personal space.

I realized the impact that one's surroundings can have on creativity, motivation and overall job satisfaction. And I did a little dance of happiness that I was a refugee from the cubefarm.