Feature
Making first impressions
Expert in workplace design Prettpal Somel, UK Marketing Executive, Ambius, discusses the importance of creating an engaging and welcoming office reception area, to leave a positive first impression for employees and guests.
When people walk through the door of an office, the reception area is usually the first place they see. It’s a space where they are welcomed or, in the instance of a guest, asked to wait while the person they are visiting is tracked down. It’s in these moments where guests and employees typically form an automatic judgement of a workplace or company.
Judging something on first impressions
isn’t a myth – it’s scientifically proven. Research from psychologists at Princeton University reveals that it takes a tenth of a second to form a first impression. So how can you make a reception area as engaging and welcoming as possible to ensure that first opinion is a positive one? The answer lies in nature. The term “biophilia” is based on the idea
that humans have an innate need to connect with nature and the natural environment – a concept that has been proven to improve wellbeing. Using the reception area to ‘bring the outside in’ and exposes visitors to nature through interior landscaping can have a positive impact. By reinforcing your brand message and ethos through the senses of sight (plants), smell (ambient scents) and touch (organic textures and patterns) for example, you will create an emotional connection between your guests and your business. There are several ways in which an office
reception can be helped to foster a great first impression, without the need to spend a fortune on interior design.
Going green
Plants are an aesthetically-pleasing, easy-to- maintain addition to any lobby or reception
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area – but the benefits don’t end there. In addition to those studies which have shown that plants can reduce stress and anxiety, some plants have also been found to have air-purifying capabilities, which is especially important indoors where the air circulating can be more polluted than outside. Incorporating large potted plants by the
entrance, complemented by smaller potted plants on shelves or on the reception counter itself is a great place to start for an instant natural feel. Snake Plants, Peace Lilies and Aloe Vera are just a few examples of beautiful foliage proven to purify the air and remove toxins. To truly achieve biophilic benefits, office
designers should think about incorporating these elements in a way that fabricates a natural environment. For example, consider arranging plants of varying heights and textures in a more sporadic order, to keep with the random way that plants might appear in nature.
Living walls
Living green walls are a wonderful solution for those offices interested in making a powerful connection to nature, but where reception space is limited. They’re made up of panels of plants grown vertically using hydroponics, on structures that can
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