Let’s face it: office life can be a bit monotonous. Many workspaces are filled with neutral colors like beige and grey, which don’t exactly inspire creativity. But if you can’t afford to change your entire color scheme, we’ve found some tips on Inc.com to help you turn your office from drab to fab and awaken the creative sides of your employees and coworkers:Liven Things Up
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One of the most common complaints about everyday work life is that its an energy drain. So one of the easiest things you can do to inspire your employees is to promote an energetic atmosphere. This doesn’t mean you have to have pilates on the hour, but it can be as simple as encouraging employees to interact with one another and not be afraid to speak in a normal voice. If you can’t afford a redecorating budget, livening things up is one of the cheapest and easiest way to bring a new sense of brightness and positivity into your office.The Dog Days Of Office Life
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Scheduling a “bring your dog to work” day is a great way to promote creativity. Your employees will feel like they are more at home, which will in turn create a relaxed atmosphere. Be aware of potential pet allergies, though. If this is a concern, allowing your employees to have personal items or family photos on and around their desks also creates a sense of comfort at being at home.Let Creativity Flow
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One of the biggest complaints about office life is the feeling of restricted creativity. For example, you allow your employees to be creative, but only if the creativity falls within certain parameters. Allowing your employees to tell you how they can be best creative will do wonders. Allow personalized items on desks, let your employees have a chance to draw on the white boards or put paper down on conference tables and let people draw. If you allow more freedom of creativity, chance are you will get more out of your employees.Office Zoning
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Think of your office a lot like a little city in some ways and adopt city zoning principles into how your space is set up. Have open areas where people can talk and also have more private areas for conversations that might need a little more quiet. Channel your inner urban planner and be creatives with spaces in your office. Your employees will thank you for providing choices, which will in turn allow them to be less worried about who is listening in on certain conversations.Don’t Ask. Just Do.
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When you are the boss of a company, chances are your employees are going to give you the answer they think you want to hear. It comes with the territory of being the boss. That’s why when it comes to creating the best space for your team to be creative in, just do it. Pay attention to trends among your employees, watch how they interact with each other and make sure to notice when and where they are at their best and turning out the best work. If you ask your employees how the office can be bettered, they may not give you a fully honest opinion. So keep your eyes open and really spend a few days watching to see what can be made better.