There is a calmness that settles over our WorkSpace each day. As we sit at work, we look out of the window to the great expanses of city street outside. Of course the landscape in which we work reflects what is happening in our world. We do not try to force that reality to change, we appreciate all that is around us. As American Journal of Sociology points out, that is what we call:
a healthy culture of belonging, protection, and creativity
Is there anything more important than our workspace? We choose it. We control it. How is it that this space manages to be such a calm space, filled with a sense of calm, serenity, and peace?
At Cultivating Art We know that a workplace doesn’t have to be sterile, depressing, or dull to create a culture of caring, community, and achievement. It can become a supportive and unique place to work and live. Here’s how.
Enrich our Day to Day Lives
Whenever we find ourselves feeling stressed or scared, calm and centered are qualities that we all desire. That’s why we are here at Cultivating Art – we are trying to be caregivers to those that need it most. Our staff holds regular group group sessions for anger management, stress management, and more. Our office encourages team building. One of our team leaders organizes weekly teams camps out and hunkers down for long days inside of a gym, at a community center, or even a movie theater. This gives everyone a chance to just focus on connecting with others, and being with one another. Cultivating Art isn’t about working until the wee hours of the morning, after hours, or somewhere far from home. Our offices offer a spacious floor plan where we are surrounded by all of the elements that support a healthy and community feeling – time outdoors, minimal distraction, and a feeling of community. We encourage family time and celebrations in our office. Every holiday season, we hold holiday wine sampling, networking, and holiday hors d’oeuvres. The tradition includes some of our great staff members sharing Christmas traditions that represent the area they live in. The employees also get to network with people from all over Southern California, in and out of our office. This ensures that everyone has the opportunity to get to know the faces and voices that make up the workforce.
Establish a Calm Space
Often, the location of one’s office has a profound effect on one’s personality. We take our agency clients, our staff members, and our communities seriously and we strive to nurture a support and a community-friendly space. Where would work thrive in a community that does the same? This is what we strive to do at Cultivating Art, focusing on the team. Since we have several wonderful people working for us, we try to surround ourselves with people who are like-minded and supportive.
Ideally, we want everyone to feel safe, supported, and free to be themselves. We want them to feel their whole being is a part of this unique place we call home. If a coworker needs extra support, or if they are feeling sad or stressed, we are here to listen and be there for them. Even if you are not in a stressful situation, we just want you to feel safe, and our staff does everything they can to provide that space.