What does your office space look like?
I’m guessing it looks like the typical office space of most churches and office buildings out there. You are in a room with a desk and, if you’re lucky, a window. There are buzzing fluorescent lights above your head and a bookshelf with books rarely read. Perhaps you have a chair or two in case someone comes in to have a brief meeting.
For the most part, all offices are the same, but what if they didn’t have to be? What if your office space could be designed to help you and other collaborate and create more?
I’ve been to several churches that had the pod-like structure, where many offices were around a center area that housed whiteboards, tables and craft areas. To me that is still the normal office area…though there is space to create, you are still in an office by your lonesome day in and day out.
Not only does the design of your work space influence the work you do, the color and ambiance of your work area can really effect your work progress and time management.
IDEO in San Francisco
A 1920s pier building in the Port District of San Francisco is vibrantly filled with new offices for global design firm IDEO. A wide range of meeting spaces provide for an eclectic office atmosphere. “Phone Booths” permit private communication, while much of the office is designed to encourage overlap and communal interaction.
Comcast in Silicon Valley
They have given each of their conference spaces a creative name: Felt, White Wedding, Heroes, Little Red Corvette, Touch of Gray. This gives it a more personal feel instead of Room #542 or Conference Room B. But really check out the spaces and see how they are much more about integration and less about segregation!
I know in many of our church and office buildings we can’t get wild and have beams coming out the ceilings or paint our walls red or even have an iMac just sitting out in the open. But you could think creatively about the space you do have. And instead of having meetings weekly in boring conference room 3015B, spruce them up. Perhaps one day take out the big conference table and put in single chairs, or bean bags. Take out the normal hum drum of Monday meetings and make them fantastic and awesome.
After all, you work for the creator of the world…the God who made the skies so vibrant and blue and the flowers so brilliantly pink. Think outside the box of the typical Monday and put a little creative thought into your office and meeting spaces.
How would you change your office space?
What are a few things you could do to get a fresh outlook and make it look like a brand new office?
Have you already done this?
We’d love to see a picture or two and hear about your successes!
[Email the Editor with your pictures: eric[at]churchm.ag]
Seth Rowoldt
Just a guy who enjoys life and tries to learn more and more each day. Currently serving as the Lower School Music Teacher for a really cool Greek Orthodox school in downtown Houston, TX. Has an awesome wife and is father of 4 amazing kiddos. Has 2 music degrees including a Master's of Music from the prestigious Rice University. Enjoys listening to music from the old dead composers as well as new music that has just been created. Thanks for reading, have a great day!
It would be #EPIC to outfit an entire office space. I love this stuff!
I know I would be a bunch more productive if I had some of these spaces to stare at and work in each day! Makes me want to be creative!