6 Scents To Aroma Brand Office Atmosphere And Productivity

Scent branding is a dynamic phenomenon that over the course of the last few years has seeped into almost every major industry in the world. Every business has its own customized message, purpose and audience that selected scents are targeted to attract. Researchers and business people understand the physiology of scent, but there is still an aura of mystery that surrounds its influence on behavior and cognition. This article will focus on the office atmosphere and how scents can enhance the working experience and improve productivity.

Sensory Branding In Other Industries

Gyms and fitness centers

Getting those juices flowing for intense cardio and spinning workouts require bursts of energy. Scents with citrus notes of orange, lemon, lime and peppermint as well as fruity notes of pineapple, mango, tangerine, grapefruit, melon and pear provide enormous shots of energy as well. For fitness and yoga studios particularly, meditation and serenity are key issues, and scents that help to create this setting include: lavender, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, sandalwood, sage, juniper and rosemary. Refreshing blends of eucalyptus and orange also help to enhance a quiet, peaceful setting.

Banking Institutions

Banks have also cashed in (forgive pun) on the signature scent phenomenon and its power to elicit customer retention and satisfaction. Scents with notes of rosemary, and peppermint contribute to alertness; lemongrass and sage provide energy, refreshment and mental clarity. Lime oil is known to add a sense of perceived cleanliness, and musk in any fragrance, particularly as a base note, adds a dimension of warmth and in the case of banks, helps to create customer satisfaction by evoking the perception of a cozy homey atmosphere.

Gambling And Casino Environments

Casinos have their own needs and their signature scents must address them if they hope to maintain a returning clientele. Unlike any other business environment, casinos are dependant on gleaning revenue based on others losing theirs. Scents that work well in this setting include those that soothe and release anxiety rather than energize, because gambling generates its own high. Herbaceous aromas, such as peppermint, can be refreshing and invigorating, while scents with woody notes are soothing relaxing. Geranium is a great buffer against anxiety and nervousness and evokes warmth and comfort

Scent Branding Increases Sales And Boosts Brand Identities

No matter what the industry, all business that utilize ambient scent marketing have been very happy with the results both in the areas of customer and brand loyalty and increased revenue. Jennifer Dublino, vice president of development at Scent World Events, claims that in 2014, the global scent marketing industry grossed an estimated $200 million in revenue and income figures have increased 10% annually since.

Scents And The Office Environment

Most of us spend much of our lives in offices, and in their own way, they serve almost as a second home, especially if we own our business or company. The average American spends about 1,600 hours per year at the office. Even if those hours are happy ones, the right scent can make the office a more inviting and industrious place.

Scent manufacturers are well aware that the presence of a pleasing ambient scent can influence people to engage in largely unconscious behavior. In an office environment, this can translate into more productivity and alertness. While aromatherapy may not seem at all helpful or related to business growth and productivity, is a practice that office owners and managers should consider learning more about.

The Benefits Of Scenting An Office

The benefits of introducing essential oil into an office environment are manifold. They not only affect performance and productivity but also health. According to Beverly Hawkins, owner of the West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy, located in Vancouver,

Canada: “Essential oils have anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, and using them in an environment where there are a lot of people can help keep germs at bay.” Office scents can boost mood and increase productivity substantially. A dreary winter’s day can bring the promise of spring and sunshine with just the introduction of a strong floral scent such as rose or jasmine. As a business owner or manager you must experiment with diverse scents to find the one that appeals to the majority of your workers. One fragrance, like one size, never fits all.

6 Office Scents That Benefit The Work Place

The following scents have been known to work well in office settings. See if they will make a difference in productivity and performance for your company.

1. Rosemary: The strong, woodsy and fresh scent of rosemary and hectic office mornings (especially Mondays) are a perfect match. A 2007 study revealed that rosemary controls cortisol levels in the bloodstream, which contribute to lowering stress levels. This fragrance stimulates the mind, improves memory retention and is known to relieve fatigue, headaches and muscular aches and pains. It works well in an office atmosphere because it helps workers concentrate on the task at hand.

2. Lemon:  This very strong citrus scent shakes the mind into immediate action. It relieves tension, anger and anxiety in the workplace.  It also promotes the perception of cleanliness, even if your particular work space is loaded to the ceiling with old lunches, new bills, papers to file, papers not to file; things to do and items to sweep up. A recent Japanese study indicated that typos were reduced by more than 50% in an office that used a lemon scent.

Lemon is also known to be beneficial to health and wellbeing, and may save sick time leave for employees because its anti-bacterial properties help fight colds and sore throats and improves circulation. Generally speaking, citrus scents are crisp, clean, energizing and refreshing.

3. Lavender: For high stress work environments, lavender has distinctive calming properties. It is very soothing to the nerves and reduces tension, which can work well in highly stressed work situations. In one Duke University study, participants found that the scent of lavender was as relaxing as a massage. It is particularly powerful as the day winds down, calming and easing tension in both the mind and the body. Try a little at first, and maybe blend with another pleasant essential oil with a floral note because if it is too concentrated it can also cause too much relaxation and even drowsiness. (Or just give in and hand out pillows and a blanket to your staff and shut out the lights!).

4. Cinnamon: This spice, so well known for its inclusion in delicious desserts of all types, is an effective aid in improving productivity. Nothing can alter the workload or degree of stress induced by a particular business or industry, and bad moods spread like wildfire through an office. Cinnamon is a mood-altering scent that creates alertness, improves focus and accurate attention to detail; a business trinity vital to effective office management and production.

5. Jasmine: This subtly sweet, highly fragrant aroma is considered a “feel good” scent that has been used in Asia for thousands of years. It offers relief from stress, tension, anxiety and depression. It is a revitalizing fragrance when introduced to an office setting that is also soothing, calming and uplifting. Too much jasmine can even bring on euphoria. Therefore, if you decide to go with it, remember the word, moderation please!

6. Peppermint: More than just a fresh flavoring for toothpaste or chewing gum, peppermint is also well known for its ability to stimulate alertness and mental clarity. The perfect scent to introduce into a conference room slated for an important meeting or brain storming session, this energy-booster promotes concentration and focused thinking.

4 Ways We Help Clients Accomplish Their Scenting Goals

Since the 1940s Air Scent has been about customer satisfaction. More than seventy years of hands on experience and trial and error have brought about a successful pattern of four steps needed for all clients to achieve their scenting goals. Despite individual differences, the formula for scenting success is the same.

1. Collaboration

Any business about to introduce a signature scent must first identify what the chosen fragrance is expected to generate within its work force. Is it meant to stimulate or calm those who will come in contact with it? No two companies are alike, and their unique needs will determine how a signature scent works best in that particular work environment. Determining a target audience is essential to the creation of a successful signature scent. The experts at Air Scent can professionally evaluate which type of scent will work best in your unique company work place.

2. Scent Selection

Picking the right scent depends upon understanding the power of fragrance. The experts at Air Scent can help by first breaking down the categories of scents that might work best in a particular setting such as: citrus, fruity, floral, woody etc. There are so many diverse fragrances out there that expert advice is necessary in order to narrow down workable possibilities. While it might be pleasant smelling, this is a dauntless, time-consuming task that Air Scent professionals can deftly process, analyze and customize for each individual business.

3. Creating An Original Scent for your Brand

This option transforms the business owner into a daring explorer sailing in uncharted waters. Taking the analogy a step further, consider Air Scent the navigator, or Christopher Columbus, if you are feeling really patriotic. Probably no company in the world is better equipped to help the business owner do this because Air Scent is the only scent-producing company in the world that has its own in-house fragrance creation division. There are no mysteries or sea dragons lurking anywhere, as this company stands behind all of its creations. Each step is carefully planned, taken and mapped out.

4.  Installing The Proper Equipment That is Simple And Easy to Operate

AirScent owns and operates the latest innovations in cutting edge diffusion technology and state-of-the-art commercial air care diffuser systems. They are ideal for scent branding for all types of large-scale business environments. The newest systems added to the ambient air scenting line are The Scentsia line and the AromaBeam. Both are eco-friendly, and easy to operate and install.

Signature scents can do wonders to boost morale and increase productivity in office settings. However, business owners and managers must do their homework, so that the desired result pays off. This translates into finding the right company to carry the process from beginning to end. Air Scent is the best out there. Why not start by giving us a call. We’ll take it from there!

Final thoughts on the power of scent:

Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived ~ Helen Keller