How Original Art Works at Work: Productivity, Retention, and Satisfaction

The modern workplace competes for focus, talent, and belonging. Thoughtful use of original art can help on all three fronts, not only as decoration, but as a lever for performance and culture. Below is what recent research and field studies suggest about productivity, retention, and employee satisfaction when art is integrated with intention.

What the research says (in plain English)
- Productivity rises in “enriched” offices that include art. Controlled experiments led by Craig Knight and Alex Haslam found that offices enriched with art and plants measurably outperformed lean, bare spaces, recoding productivity increases of up to 17%. When employees were also empowered to shape their environment, productivity gains approached 30%.
- People feel better, and do better, in art-forward environments. The University of Exeter team also reported happier and healthier workers in spaces they could personalize, linking environment, well-being, and output.
- Belonging and culture matter for retention, and art helps signal both. A British Council for Offices survey found over 90% of respondents said art makes workplaces more welcoming, and the report notes art can positively influence staff retention.
- Stress reduction supports sustained performance. Neuroscience work summarized by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross in the book Your Brain on Art shows that as little as 45 minutes of arts engagement reduces cortisol and lifts mood—useful for resilience and focus.

Why art moves the needle
- Identity & ownership: When teams influence their environment, they feel more connected and perform better.
- Cognitive refresh: Visual variety can act as a micro-reset for the brain, helping maintain attention and reducing fatigue.
- Signals of care & culture: Art elevates the perceived quality of a workplace and supports belonging—important for hybrid environments and return-to-office efforts.

Practical ways to do it right
1. Involve employees in selection—empowerment boosts results.
2. Place art where work happens—not just in lobbies.
3. Use original, varied works to enrich thinking and environment.
4. Consider measuring stress, satisfaction, and space use before and after to understand impact.

Bottom line
The evidence is clear: original art, especially when employees help shape it, supports productivity, satisfaction, and retention. It’s a pragmatic strategy for workplaces that want to help people do their best work—not just a visual upgrade.

If this resonates and you’re curious how your walls can work for you, I’d love to talk about a custom, data-minded approach—selection, placement, and a simple measurement plan. Reach me at info@adrianagroza.art or visit my Studio–Gallery at 38 Spring Street, Princeton, NJ 08542 to explore what’s possible.