Active discuss a range of colours and how they can be used in the workplace design…
- Blue – Cool, calm and reliable are all feelings associated with the
colour blue. As a colour with a low wavelength, blue has the ability to lower heart
rate and body temperature causing your employees to feel relaxed and de-stressed.
Due to its calming effects, blue can be used in an office design to
aid concentration making your employees feel at ease. However, avoid darker shades
as these can evoke feelings of sadness and have a depressing effect on your
staff.
- Yellow – Warm and bright the colour yellow can evoke feelings of
wellbeing and positivity amongst your employees. As well as this, yellow can be
stimulating, encouraging innovation and communication. Although we are naturally
drawn to brighter colours, our eyes can quickly become tired from processing them
and subconsciously our bodies want us to leave this kind of space. Therefore, we
would recommend that yellow is used sparingly across large spaces, being presented
through the use of accessories to inject warmth into the workplace.
- Green – Made up of a mixture of blue and yellow, the colour green
is a well-balanced colour often associated with nature and feelings of tranquillity.
Like blue, green can have a calming effect on your employees, reducing feelings of
anxiety and promoting good health. In addition to this, using green in an
office design is known to stimulate concentration and improve
productivity. Various shades of green can be used throughout the workplace to
inspire your staff and encourage engagement.
- Red – The colour red, often related to feelings of passion and
excitement, is a high wavelength colour and can raise heart rate as well as increase
the appetite. This vibrant colour is attention grabbing and can be used to draw
attention to certain areas in a building. Although physically stimulating, this
colour is best used sparingly as too much can cause feelings of anger and
impatience. Therefore, it is important that it is not used in places where staff are
spending prolonged periods of time. The best places to use red would be a canteen,
breakout areas or in small quantities throughout a workspace.
- Purple – Striking the perfect balance between the stimulating
effects of red and the calming feelings of blue, the colour purple can create an air
of mystery, conjuring feelings of innovation as well as often being associated with
wealth and grandeur. Sparking creativity and upliftment, this bold colour is perfect
for feature walls, reception areas that want to make an impact as well as break out
areas.
- White – Whilst white is clean and clear, offering feelings of
clarity, it is not an inspiring colour and can often feel sterile and cold. For
these reasons white is best teamed with a range of other colours and shouldn't be
used on its own for large areas of the workplace.
It is impossible to choose just one single colour that will improve productivity and
motivate your staff. It is therefore important to use a range of colours throughout an
office design that evoke a range of different feelings and suit a range
of different tasks. For example, in a space dedicated to concentration we'd recommend an
inspiring colour such as green. In a conference room, we'd suggest a calming blue to
provide a relaxed atmosphere without too much distraction.
Whilst many companies will have a strict colour palette in line with their branding, the
use of colour, and the influences they can have, should not be overlooked. It is also
necessary to acknowledge that colour is not limited to the paint on the walls, colour
can be incorporated through carpets, flooring, furniture and accessories around the
office.
Managed Offices, by Active FM
Looking to refurbish your office? Here at
Active FM we run a managed offices
service, which offers a complete office creation solutions – whether you need a new
office design or want to relocate your business, or even if you just
need some new furniture – whatever it is you need to improve your office environment,
our service will cover it.
For more information about our managed offices service that can help to create an
engaging workplace, please don't hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team
today. You can give us a call on 0845 130 9066, or alternatively send us an
e-mail by filling our contact form.
