The science
of creativity
Mentalhealth,longhoursandshort
tenuresarejustsomeoftheissues
synonymouswiththeadvertising
industry.InBetterWorkplaces,AdNews
takesalookatthewaysagencies
arechangingthisthroughcompany
culture, HR initiatives and office design.
PAIGE MURPHYWORDS BYB
asedinSydney’seast,AFFINITYisanindependentfull-service
agencyfoundedin 2002 byhusbandandwifeduoLukeBrownand
AngelaSmith.Withanofferingspanningdata-drivenmedia,CXand
digital,anda staffcountofmorethan30,AFFINITYhasmadea
name for itself. All whilefostering a productiveand healthy
workingculture.
Recentlyrefurbishingtheoffice,Co-FounderandChiefStrategy
OfficerAngelaSmithsaysit meanttheteamcouldreallymapoutand
planwhattheywantedtoachieveforthenewdesign.
Theendgoalwastoencouragebothf luidityandcollaboration
throughthefreshlayout,detailinghoweveryspacehadbeenconcocted
withthisinmind.
“Sotoachievea dynamicworkmodality,breakout/meetingspace
todeskspaceis1:1.Wewantedtocreateanenvironmentwhereyou
stillhadyourplacetoroost,tomakeyourown,butasmuchopportu-
nitytopickandmove– finda newspacetothink,orworkwithothers,
tosuitthetaskormood,”shesays.
“Thesecondareaoffocuswastohavea mixofskillsallinsightof
oneanother.Wethoughta lotaboutadjacenciesofdisciplinesandbuilt
injusta littlebitoffriction,likewherethekitchen,photocopierand
otherresourcesare– necessitatingyoutominglewithothergroups
youmightnotnormallyworksocloselywith.”
Referencinga studybyCornellUniversitypsychologistsGaryEvans
andDanaJohnson,Smithsayswhileopenplanofficescanfostercol-
laboration,theyalsosuppresscreativity– somethingthatremained
topofmindinthedesigningprocess.
ForAFFINITY,achievingtherightbalanceofcollaboration,crea-
tivityandcomfortwasessentialinthenewofficelayouttoensurethe
entireteamfeltathome.
“Collaborationisexceptionallyimportanttous,butwe’vealso
strived to create a place that the team feels has absolutely everythingBetter Workplaces