Adding scent to the workplace improves
productivity, morale

Does the office smell? If so, it could mean employees are not only working smarter, but happier, too.

No, not “smell” as in burned popcorn or the odor of last night’s leftovers. Think aromatherapy. Once exclusively used by retailers to enhance product sales, more nonretail entities — including the Tokyo Stock Exchange — are discovering that adding a little bit of scent to the office environment can not only mask unpleasant or everyday odors, but have a huge impact on productivity and morale.

Since the mid- to late 1990s, increasing amounts of research have been conducted on the effects of scent in the workplace. Many tests show pleasant smells can increase alertness and productivity by creating a sense of well-being. For example, volunteers at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation of Chicago completed puzzle-solving tasks 17 percent faster when exposed to a floral scent. The Good Housekeeping Institute found that, when asked to complete proofreading tasks in rooms scented with peppermint, lavender, or no scent at all, scores were better when peppermint or lavender was piped into the room.

Companies are starting to take notice, introducing scent to increase sales or as part of their branding strategies, and the Tokyo Stock Exchange even infuses its air with peppermint in the afternoon to increase alertness and efficiency.

Microfresh, a division of interior services organization Ambius, has made scent its business for the last three years. Microfresh works with clients to develop scents that fit with the office decor and enhance output and morale. The chosen scent is introduced into the facility’s ventilation system in the form of a dry vapor.

“We spend about half of our lives at work, so it’s important to make the workplace as pleasant and productive as possible,” says Jodie Boutilier, national Microfresh representative. “Scent, in particular, tends to increase alertness and reduce errors and absenteeism.”

One Microfresh customer, an Internet company with accounting personnel in a Milwaukee call center, wanted to introduce scent into the facility to determine if it would improve morale and job satisfaction.

During the two-month trial, Microfresh introduced a citrus scent — known for its stimulating benefits — into the call center. Before and during the trial, the company conducted surveys and asked employees to rate their overall work environment and job satisfaction. At the end of the trial, not only was overall morale raised, but work performance also improved.

There can be downsides, such as employees who are sensitive to odors. But Boutilier says that, if done correctly and with subtlety, introducing scent into an office setting should not create employee tension or problems.

“Scent introduced to an office setting is meant to eliminate other odors in the office without being overpowering,” Boutilier adds. “We want you to walk into the room, take note of the scent and go on about your day.”