Your washroom. Your culture.

In an all but forgotten corner of every office is the washroom.  And, in the places I’ve worked they have been the most sterile, cold and soulless places in the office.  And that’s saying something given some of the spaces I’ve worked in.

Kate Rutter believes ‘office bathrooms are key indicators of team culture’ because they should “…signal what’s important to the team…”  On May 8th DNTO’s Tori Allen  took this insight to CBCs workplace washrooms.  The episode is fun.

Years ago one of my brothers-in-law, Richard, who at the time owned a gas station in Toronto, replied when I complained about the state of station toilets – “A dirty station is a busy station”.  Enough said.

And it got me thinking.  If workplace washrooms are key indicators of culture then they must be a key lever of change.  And, maybe washrooms are something we should be paying more attention to.

I’m serious.  It doesn’t need to take much.  In the DNTO episode they added a plant [a cactus to be exact], some 3-ply toilet paper, tic tacs, gum, dental floss and post it notes.  These small changes humanized the space and created an almost immediate uplifting affect within the team.

While we’re busy trying to create collaborative and innovative cultures how much effort is being put into designing spaces [including washrooms] that humanize the workplace and encourage employees to interact, share ideas, and create together.

Funny since our work spaces are the most visible reflection of our organizations with employees and other key stakeholders.  You’d think it would be the first we’d place to start.

What do you think?  Should we start in the workplace washroom?

Tags: Behaviour change, Cultural norms, Culture change, Design thinking, Innovation, Relationship