office life
from an exact science. However the colour
around us is thought to have psychological effects on users. Colour preference can be quite individual
and subjective, but there is a growing body of research which identifies the effect of colour on our mood, our behaviours and even our impulse to buy. Bright colours are considered to promote
metal alertness and activity. Cooler hues of green can have a calming effect and blue can nurture tranquility. Colours can also be used in shaping our
perceptions of temperature. After all, we do not all respond to a room’s temperature in the same way. What may seem warm to one person may seem cold to another. While it is not practical to maintain different
temperature settings in a single space, there is evidence to suggest that this can be balanced out by the use of colour to trick the mind. For example, changing the colour of walls in specific areas from blue to peach is thought
A survey by Fresh Business Thinking, of 100 offices in London, found that 57% of employees felt that good
working conditions would increase morale and 49%
said that an office makeover would increase their productivity
to influence our temperature perception in an otherwise cold environment. Daylighting has been associated with
improved mood, enhanced morale, lower fatigue, and reduced eyestrain. Research has shown the people working in offices with appropriate levels of daylight demonstrate increased levels of wellbeing, reduced absenteeism and increased productivity. In fact, a number of European countries now
specify that workers must be within 27 feet of a window. Clearly, windows are not the only answer to daylighting in the office as studies have shown that full-spectrum bright lights and natural daylight bulbs can be equally beneficial in the workplace. Countless organisations have implemented improved lighting conditions in
26 THEbusiness QUARTER
their offices and regard it to be instrumental in driving up productivity levels of employees. Google is often cited as an example of a
company which invests heavily in its working environment as part of their strategy to recruit the best employees and more importantly retain them. They have created a dynamic environment
that is filled with flexible spaces, quirky offices, gondola and beach huts for meeting rooms, free restaurants, extensive leisure facilities, nap pods and free massages. Their estate is designed, first and foremost, to nurture creativity and provide maximum opportunity for what they refer to as ‘creative collisions’. Such an environment is not costly to design in reality. The greatest investment has been in their ethos and
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