How colour can boost productivity at work

Companies are rethinking the use of colour in workplace design, as different shades can impact employees' moods

- Brett Berk

Warm, energetic orange that fosters group socialization. Peacock blue saturating a private nook for focus. Coal-black doors, signalling a no-go zone reserved for executives.

As more companies call employees back to the office, they are also rethinking workplace design in hopes of boosting productivity and motivation. New uses of colour will be a big part of that, say design and furniture firms that are developing what is next for the workplace.

A deeper understanding of the impact of colour on human psychology could offer fresh tools to help shape behavioural changes in the office. Recent research suggests that the use of certain colours can enhance people's sense of well-being or even increase alertness.

Workers' preferences shifted during the work-from-home era, when they got a glimpse of colleagues' home-office setups on video calls. "People enjoyed being surrounded by colours that were more reflective of their personality," says Andrea Magno, director of colour marketing and design for paint giant Benjamin Moore. When they returned to the office, she says, they wanted to carry on this sensory experience.

To lure employees back to the office post-pandemic, many companies opted for nature-based colours—blues, browns, greens—meant to foster a sense of well-being, says Kelly Jahn, a commercial architect and professor of interior design at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Tones of green have been found to be ideal for reflection.

Moving forward, office decor will increasingly be used to signal a workplace ethos, such as trust, collaboration, tradition or experimentation, says Jahn. "It is the vibe of the company."

Here are some emerging office colour trends, so you can read the room.

SATURATING FOR FOCUS