Have you ever felt that your office environment is a bit sterile and soulless? How we feel at work can affect our performance as much as what we know. By forgetting about our senses, employers are missing out on powerful drivers of enjoyment, motivation, creativity, mood and energy…it’s common sense! This presentation explores strategies and ideas for reconnecting with our senses to help create a happy, healthy and more productive workplace.

1. Sylvia Garvin
www.sejuiced.co.uk
Creating a Sensational
Workplace Through the Senses!

2. Overview
• Why our working environment matters
• The impact of staff wellbeing on work
performance
• The benefits of engaging the senses
• Factors to consider in designing a multi-
sensory workplace
• Creating a sensory action plan for your
office

3. Frightening Facts about the
Workplace!
• We spend nearly 100,000 hours at work during
our lifetime…equivalent to 11 and a half years!
• On average, we moan about work for nearly 15
minutes a day, which equates to 106 days in the
average person’s life!
• We spend 60 hours a year listening to “muzak”
while waiting to speak to a real person in a call
centre
• In our lifetime, we spend an equivalent of four
years on the phone at work

4. How We Feel at Work Matters
• Our senses affect our moods, thoughts
and behaviours
• A positive mood encourages greater
creativity
• A pleasant odour improves problem
solving and performance levels
• A bad odour lowers tolerance levels and
increases frustration

5. Working with the Senses
Makes Good Sense!
1. Stimulate creativity (quality & problem solving)
2. Aid concentration and learning (productivity)
3. Boost to energy levels (productivity)
4. Improved perception of company quality (staff
recruitment)
5. Greater connection between staff and the
brand they represent (brand alignment)
6. Overall feeling of well-being (motivation and
loyalty)

6. How to Create a
Multi-Sensory Workplace
Two ways of working with the senses:
1. “Conceptual” (top-down)
2. “Practical” (bottom up)
Conceptual approach:
• What story do you want to tell about your
brand? Start with the “essence” of your
brand to identify an over-arching theme

7. Examples of Strong Brand Themes
For inspiration, visit http://www.coolbrands.uk.com

8. How to Create a
Multi-Sensory Workplace
Practical approach – perform a “sensory audit” in
your workplace:
• Identify the key sensory discomforts in your
office
• Objectively walk through your workplace, from
the point of view of a newcomer. What do they
see, hear, touch, taste and smell? What would
be their first impressions?

9. Sensory Elements to Consider:
Visual Aspects
Colour scheme: calming or stimulating?
COOL
COLOURS
(relaxing)
WARM
COLOURS
(stimulating)

10. Sensory Elements to Consider:
Office Equipment Sounds
Key areas to evaluate:
• Telephone & TV
• Volume levels
• “White noise”

11. Sensory Elements to Consider:
Smell & Taste
INVIGORATING:
RELAXING:

12. Examine the materials used for your:
• Flooring
• Seating
• Tables
• Clothing / uniforms
Sensory Elements to Consider:
Textiles and Textures

13. Creating a Sensory Action Plan
Taking each sense in turn, create a list of
priority actions which are:
• “Aspirational” (promote the brand theme)
• “Functional” (address practical issues)
Document all of these points in a structured
action plan.

14. Example Sensory Action Plan
Sensory dimension: Texture
ZONE BRAND THEME
eg “NATURE”
SENSORY AUDIT
REMARKS
RECOMMENDED
ACTIONS
RECEPTION
AREA
Introduce tactile
displays of natural
objects – pebbles,
dried flowers etc
Seating area is
stark and uninviting
Add tactile displays
Purchase cushions
in natural colours
and textiles
WASHROOM Integrate natural
textures into this
space
Hot water
temperature is
unpleasantly high
Tactile artwork
Visit hotels for ideas
Address water
temperature
OUTDOOR
SPACE
Create a small
seating area with
fragrant plants – an
office “oasis”
Plants have been
chosen for
robustness, lack
tactile appeal
Expand plant range
to encourage
interaction /
appreciation

15. Bringing it all Together:
Ensure “Sensorial Synergy”
• The senses need to support one another
• The experience of one sense cannot be
separated from others
• Double check that your sensory action
plan is consistent and aligned

16. Any Questions?
Contact sgarvin@sejuiced.co.uk
www.sejuiced.co.uk