Most offices are boring. A brand new executive plaza near my house just rented some space to a small business. The layout they chose was somewhere between used cubical and leftover partition. I feel ill just driving by the place- imagine if you had to work there!
Dan Pink points out that aesthetics matter. If you feel good about a space in which you spend 8-10 hours a day, chances are you'll get more done.
Google is known for uniting function with fun. Guy Kawasaki took a tour and noted the climbing wall, bean bag room and growing cacti gardens. Amazing stuff.
To see how your space can improve so that you can get more done and leave at a reasonable hour, check out these resources:
- Office Design: How to Build a Better Office
- Three New Designs for Optimizing Collaboration
- Best and Worst Office Design Images