I recently saw this post on social media:

Yes, this particular sign is ridiculous and deserves to be dunked on a little bit.

But not all office signage are made equal! There are certainly some bad ones…

Remember the little posters with the cheesy photo and caption? These ones:

These eventually became a meme, and for good reason.They were just so… generic and ubiquitous. Soulless. Maybe it’s not a good idea to buy something mass-produced that encourages your employees to roll their eyes.

What’s an example of motivational signage that works?

Let’s look at another industry… something quite the opposite of a corporate office:

Competitive sports is a bit more intense than checking emails, so it makes sense to have these reminders posted up EVERYWHERE. I used to play football. There were signs in the restroom reminding us to check the color of our pee so we can stay hydrated! #EveryEdgeCounts

I actually love this energy. I think people thrive when they’re encouraged to go all out. Nobody likes to do things “in the middle.” There’s no fun in that! People either want to be hot or cold, not lukewarm.

But unfortunately, I think I’m in the minority.

I know a common rebuttal is, “Oh come on! It’s just a job! I don’t need it to be that serious. I just need to pay my rent.”

But I don’t think having office signage necessarily means there is some kind of unhealthy attachment to work. It just means that when you’re working, you’re WORKING, and doing so with intensity and focus. Which sounds like more work, but it actually makes the day more enjoyable. When you’re engaged and in the zone, working towards a purpose, you lose track of time. 3 hours feels like 3 minutes.

But that’s just me, I guess.

So what can offices do?

Here are some good examples of nice motivational signage that’s more artistic and elegant. Less “BALLS TO THE WALL!!!!!!” and more “Remember what’s important.”