Use Wall Space Creatively with External Notice Boards & Other Supplies
![Use Wall Space Creatively with External Notice Boards & Other Supplies](https://static.ajproducts.com/resize/siteassets/content/blog/imported-blog-header-images/aj-04-display-142932_01_2800x1050.jpg?ref=AE928E8613&width=1366)
For any business or organisation, offices are the central hubs of productivity and creativity, even if the majority of operations and processes take place elsewhere. For example, a retailer and manufacturer would have warehouses, shops, manufacturing units, etc., which are all spaces that are outside of the head office where core employees and team members run the business. Whatever the scenario, any office or workspace must reflect, as well as contribute to, the overall spirit and culture of the organisation. This would mean creating office spaces in which employees, visitors or clients actively involve themselves. In fact, there is a direct correlation between good office design and employee productivity. It benefits both employees and employers alike to have a physical environment that is creative and inspiring (Morgan, 2015 ¹).
One aspect of this physical space that companies often ignore or neglect is the walls. Furniture, carpeting and equipment are often prioritised by employers, both in terms of aesthetics and functionality. Companies might plan workspaces according to how they can arrange items inside the walls of an office, but might not think to make use of wall space as an active part of design and creativity. Both the interior and exterior wall spaces of an office can be used to display information or art creatively. The following are a few ways in which companies could creatively make use of wall space with items such as posters, notice boards, whiteboards and wall mounted storage cabinets.
Walls for art
Companies such as Facebook, Twitter and even organisations such as The Bank of China, feature great mural artwork on their office walls. Murals and other kinds of artwork on walls can be a great way to boost the physical environment of an office (Creative Bloq Staff, 2014 ²). Good art always inspires positive emotions and creativity in people, making this use of wall space a great way to liven up the atmosphere and boost the energy levels of employees. Companies could have artwork specially designed for their walls that would reflect the company culture, its vision, mission and values. This would also be a good way to brand and market the organisation.
Walls for storage
Wall-mounted bookshelves could be added to archives, reading rooms or break rooms. This would save on floor space, allowing employees to move around more freely or lounge at ease while catching up on their reading. Apart from storing books, walls could be used creatively to mount hanging storage pouches or other such storage items. Office mail or newspapers could be slotted into these pouches. Keys, AC remotes, chargers, etc. can all be stored in this manner as well. The idea is to use well-crafted but funky looking shelves and storage options, made of different materials, to accessorise office walls and also provide additional storage space.
Walls for display
Narrow shelves could be fixed against walls and used to display any awards or certifications the company has won, pictures from company events, inauguration plaques, etc. Lockable notice boards could be used to display important notices, announcements, instructions, etc. While notice boards might be a common fixture in many workplaces or institutions, companies should not just treat them as a boring necessity that cannot be customised to suit their décor needs. Different types of boards could be purchased from retailers and then painted or jazzed up in an attractive manner. AJ Products offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor notice boards, whiteboards and glassboards as well as storage solutions.
- Morgan, J. (2015) “How The Physical Workspace Impacts The Employee Experience” Forbes [Online] available from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2015/12/03/how-the-physical-workspace-impacts-the-employee-experience/#726e39626f35 [accessed July 2016]
- Creative Bloq Staff (2014) “20 incredibly cool design office murals” Creative Bloq [Online] available from: http://www.creativebloq.com/agencies/office-murals-2131981 [accessed July 2016]