Scent has a significant impact on our behavior. Of all our senses, the sense of smell has perhaps the greatest influence on our perceptions, emotions, and behavior. All businesses want to succeed. Recent research shows that there is a strong relationship between scent and productivity, and by extension, the workplace environment has a significant impact on employees’ productivity.
The elements that characterize the working environment such as décor, lighting, music, and smell can all influence productivity. As a business owner, you don’t have to hurt your pocket and renovate the entire office to enhance productivity. You can focus on the little things that go a long way in uplifting mood and improving performance.
Why Is Scent Essential in A Workplace?
According to scientists, a pleasant scent can enhance mood by 40%. Also, people tend to stay 18% longer in rooms that smell good.
Additionally, a pleasant scent has a natural healing power known as aromatherapy. Amazingly, this traditional healing technique has been in practice for 6,000 years. Since some essential oils have healing abilities, diffusing them in scent form in the workplace can help employees relax and ease stress.
What Are the Benefits of Scents in the Office?
1. Elevating Performance
Scent is useful in fighting fatigue and boosting mental clarity, thus helping workers pay attention to their tasks. A study carried by a leading organization in Japan found that the scent of jasmine reduces typing errors by 33%, lemon by 54%, and lavender by 20%. Another study found out that workers performed better in accuracy and typing speed when exposed to peppermint scents.
2. Minimizing Stress
Stress can take a toll on your health, not to mention productivity. Scents with healing properties act like “stress busters” to relieve workers of life stressors. Research by a prestigious university shows that rosemary and lavender can help reduce the stress hormone cortisol. In another study by Japanese scholars, linalool, a compound in lemon, was found to slow down the “flight-or-fight” stress response.
3. Improving Creativity
Scent neutralizes unpleasant smells that can have devastating effects on workers’ mood. According to a renowned scholar, people become more creative when exposed to a nice smell.
4. Leading to Employee Retention
Nobody wants to stay in an unpleasant place. A company can lose high performing talent due to poor environmental conditions. Besides investing in training for workers, companies should ensure that the workplace environment is favorable. Furthermore, workers develop a sense of belonging and feel valued for their contribution when the management strives to make the workplace more habitable.
Numerous studies have shown that there is a strong connection between employee retention and job satisfaction. Employees tend to be happier and more productive when the office is pleasantly scented.
5. Keeping the Surroundings Clean
Besides gaining control over unpleasant odors, scents can have disinfecting properties that cleanse workplaces where tens of employees congregate. Essential oils have anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties, and diffusing them in an environment where many people congregate can help keep germs at bay. Ensuring the environment is healthy is essential since it translates to increased productivity and fewer sick leaves.
Closing Thoughts
Our sense of smell is connected to various parts of our brain that control memories, perceptions, emotions, and reward behaviors. Pleasant smells have a powerful impact on employees of any business, relieving workers’ stress and enhancing productivity.
Air Freshener for Businesses in San Marcos, Tx
If you are a business owner, it is likely you are always on the hunt for new ways to increase employee productivity. A good way to do this is through improving the surroundings of the office place in which your employees work. One aspect of improving that space that is often overlooked is the overall scent as well as cleanliness. Business Hygiene offers air freshener and janitorial cleaning supplies options for businesses in San Marcos, TX and surrounding areas.
