How does Colour Influence Office Productivity?

Colours have been known to affect mood and therefore can have an effect on productivity. Psychologists have worked with many companies to find the optimum colour scheme that will result in the best level of productivity and efficiency. Doing a small amount of research can help you decide the best colour or colours for your office based on the personalities and everyday tasks that the employees do. Here are some tips on some of the most popular colours.

Photo Credit: spaces.nl

Blue: Shades of blue are the most popular colour for office décor and office paint. The reason why is because blue conveys loyalty, trust, and stability. It is a calm colour that helps people focus and increases productivity levels. Blue is a great colour to paint the whole office and then add extra highlights or designs of other colours like orange or yellow to help spark imagination or emotion.

Green:  Green is a colour associated with different things depending on the shade of green. There is the natural green of grass and trees; but green can also represent money and even greed. Therefore, getting the shade of green correct is very important. The reason why green is still a good colour for office spaces is because it does not cause eye fatigue, which is great for anyone who has to work long hours. It can be calming, but at the same time it also can inspire employees to “go”.

Yellow: Too much yellow colouring in an office can be a bad thing because it can cause eye fatigue and even anger. However, pops of yellow can improve productivity because it can be seen as optimistic and happy, as in the colour of the sun. Designers and employees who have creative jobs should have splashes of yellow designs and colour décor represented in their work areas.

Red: Red represents fire and passion and can be a colour that helps motivate employees. Studies have shown that red actually increases the heart rate and blood flow of occupants of a red coloured room. For an employee or job standpoint, red is excellent for people who have activities as part of their jobs. This philosophy is behind the saying to “light a fire under” someone in reference to getting them motivated to do something.

Orange: Orange is a colour associated with fun, kids, and learning. Too much orange will overwhelm the senses of employees, so it should also be used in moderation when it comes to design and décor. However adding accents of orange can be very successful in adding a feeling of youth and happiness to your office space.

Keep in mind that the main colour you use in your office building should be a more general colour to help with office productivity levels. However, each individual might benefit from having their own colour scheme in their office, cubical, or desk top. This can be achieved by trial and error and seeing how shades of each colour affects each employee. A more simplified way is just letting each employee choose what colours are best for their own productivity. Then evaluate how the colours of their environment are affecting their productivity levels during your regular periodic employee reviews. At that time, you can determine if a colour change would be beneficial.