5 Colors that Will Improve the Workplace Productivity

Colors have a huge impact on how we perceive things, so we even use them to describe our feelings. For example, when we are sad, we say we are “feeling blue”, and when we’re jealous, we are being “green of envy.” What’s important to notice here is that, because of their profound impact on human psyche, colors are generally accepted as mood swingers and play a tremendous role in the workplace design. Let’s see what colors can be used to influence your employees’ productivity.

Blue

We already mentioned that being blue is associated with the sense of melancholy. That may be true, but summing up a color to one emotion doesn’t exactly do it any justice. The color blue is an intellectual color – it’s a color of the mind and has a very soothing effect. Does that make blue perfect for any situation? No. Use this color only in areas where people need to do intellectual work, and use it with a splice of orange to introduce a bit of balance. Blue may slow people down, so it is not suitable for the environments that require more activity.

Yellow

Yellow is a color of spirited, confident, extraverted and sometimes egotistic people. There are more than a few occasions when these qualities are necessary to complete the job. For example, if you are working as a designer, your office needs to be bold, promote creativity and strengthen your intuition. Yellow can be quite inspiring, so try to implement it in your office décor if you want to stimulate your vivid imagination.

Red

Both blue and yellow are the colors that stimulate people mentally. On the other hand, red affects the physical aspect of our lives. Being the longest wavelength, red is the color of power, energy, and strength. It raises the pulse rate and invokes the fight or flight instinct. If used in the environment where people are engaged in dynamic activities, it may do wonders for productivity. However, you should be careful with this color as it can provoke aggression and cause stress. Since the best way to relieve tension is through physical labor, red can be quite stimulating in the environments that require a lot of muscle-work.

Green

Greenery’s been proclaimed the color of the year, so we’re going to see it very often on the slates of painters from Sydney, Melbourne, and other office-friendly cities in the following period. But listening what Pantone has to say in every single situation is not that good of an idea. Green is a color of balance, refreshment, environmental awareness, and rest.  It calms the nerves and helps people relax, which makes it perfect for the rooms where your employees are taking breaks. Feeling rested and relaxed, employees are much more productive and eager to get back to work.

White

Painting the offices white is nothing new. After all, white is a neutral color that is easy to match with almost anything. You can use white when you want to make some space look more opened and spacious (narrow hallways and small offices).  Also, white is a relaxing color which reduces stress levels, thus increasing productivity.

People often look at productivity as a process inspired by a sudden stimulation. In reality, you can much easier provoke and maintain employees’ productivity if you use slight gestures and constant influences. Workplace design has a pivotal role in this process, and the right choice of colors has the central place in any interior design effort, this one included.