Aesthetic interiors chase drudgery out of workplaces

Sunshine shades on the walls, posters picturing fashion divas, a table tennis board in mid of the room... and you thought we are talking about the recreation room of a city college? Not at all. Welcome in-house to some of the IT giants, retail companies and advertising firms in the city. The very moment you step in here, you tend to feel younger, livelier and energetic.

Take, for instance, the corporate office of Fastrack. On any day here, one can see employees busy hitting table tennis balls during the peak hour of the day or listening to music. Employees are also encouraged to take out their frustrations on the punching bag. “We’ve tried to create an atmosphere of innovation, so employees can think differently. The whole environment is casual,” said Ronnie Talati, business head and vice-president, Fastrack. The interiors here are a definite booster to employees’ productivity. The office environment, especially the interiors, have a powerful effect on the minds of its employees, feel psychiatrists. “In an organisation that calls for brain storming sessions, innovative ideation and creative thinking, a peppy work ambience is always helpful,” said Dr Shyam Bhat, consultant psychiatrist, Manipal Hospital.

The software professionals at Yahoo are allowed to continue their work while relaxing on beanbags. Their competitor Google is no less. The employees are almost spoilt with the huge options on their platter. A fistful of dry fruits or cup noodles is always available to beat the hunger pangs.

Now, imagine a Google or a Yahoo office with oak panels and leather seats. For all we know, the end products would have come out different and boring, said Dr Bhat. On the other hand, can you imagine an investment bank set up in bright colours, life-size posters and rock music? “Investment banks are rather made to look boring, since the management would not want employees to be more creative and take on risk investments. They prefer employees to stick to conservative norms,” said Dr Bhat.

With the work hours extending beyond the conventional eight to nine hours, organisations are struggling to ensure comfort of their employees 24x7. While food and recreation within the office complex have been priority for sometime, organisations now are focussing on office interiors too. Aditi Technologies, a Bangalore-based IT company, provides its employees with an indoor golf course on artificial grass. The rooftop cafeteria with ethnic setup and ample greenery that can easily fit in 800 employees is no less than a high-profile city restro. “We believe that a healthy work environment is a must. If employees feel happy, only then will they give their 100%,” said RS Rethinasamy, CFO and head (facilities), Aditi Technologies.

The ambience reflects the company culture by and large, pointed out Dr Bhat. Thus, while in a process-oriented work, funky interior does not matter much in a workplace that involves creativity and innovation, a good interior is an add on. The overall trend about designing office space has changed, said Indrajeet Kembhavi, from Kembhavi Architecture Foundation.

“While until a few years ago, the focus was on making workplaces more westernised and sleek, now the attention has shifted to creating a cheerful and friendly ambience,” he said.  At work, employees are confined to the four walls for long hours that can lead to depression and stress. Thus, skylight space, courtyard and atriums are a must in office complexes, explained Kembhavi.