What colour should you paint your next office? And why it's more important than you think!

Posted by Pall Mall Estates on 10th December 2019 -

If you are planning an office move, before you make a final decision on the interiors of your new workspace, it’s important to recognise the influential role that colours can play in the wellbeing and productivity of your employees, whilst ensuring your workplace remains ‘on-brand’.

It’s actually been psychologically proven. In 2007, experts at the University of Texas assessed the mental and physical impact of three different colours used in workplace interiors. The colours were blue-green, red and white, with both men and women experiencing a change in mood depending on the colour of their office interiors.

Male employees found that orange and purple interiors made them sadder and less enthused, while grey and white interiors yielded similar feelings among female workers.

Individual productivity has also been found to be affected by the introduction of different colours in the office. During a study to investigate a possible link between colours and psychological functioning, it was found that red impacted negatively on respondents’ mindset and productivity before their exam. Furthermore, those exposed to red before their exam scored 20% lower in their test than those who were shown black and shades of green.

Therefore, before you indulge in a fully-fledged office fit-out, it’s a good idea to keep in mind the association between colours and workplace productivity. Below are some of the top-line links between specific colours and staff mental and physical wellbeing:

Blue

Psychologically, the colour blue is recognised as a relaxing, soft influence on employees, with blue said to be inspirational, giving confidence to individuals. As branding colour, blue also strikes a chord of integrity and trust with others.

Green

There is a clear correlation between the colour green and nature. It has been scientifically proven that individuals work best when reconnected with the outside world, so greens work well. You don’t have to get your paint brush out to achieve a green appearance either, with plant-based living walls now all the rage, acting as suitable wall partitions.

White

The fusion of abundant natural daylight and white walls can help to create a sense of space and clarity. However, there is always the risk of creating a working environment that looks too clinical and clean. In an ideal world, white should be fused with additional complementary colours.

Red

The colour red is very much a balancing act for workplace interiors. Psychologically, employees can view red as either dangerous or exciting. There are conflicting studies that state the colour red in the workplace can improve an individual’s mental energy, as well as trigger the onset of regular headaches.

Black

Black can be as equally contentious as red as a workplace colour. Again, this is a colour that is defined by an individual’s perception. Some will view black as slick and contemporary, while others will deem it to feel cold and controlling. Accent colours are vital when incorporating black into your workplace interiors.

Is your lack of budget for an office fit-out holding your business back from moving to bigger, feature-laden premises?

At Pall Mall Estates, we own and manage over 4,000,000 sq ft of prime workspaces across the UK. Some of which we’ll consider covering the cost of a new fit-out to get the right tenant into the property. 

Be sure to check out our available fit-out properties, some of which are also available at a discount, giving you more money to play with to pay for your own fit-out.