Many people are quick to criticise their workplace. Personal comfort zones have become a contentious issue, especially in open plan offices, where workers feel they have no control of their environment. Complaints will focus on temperature, humidity, light levels, the colour of the decor or personal space allowances. But unless there are particular issues, comments about the aroma are less frequent. So do people accept the way a room smells and put up with it, or are there actions that the FM can take to improve the situation?
In times past, many of the aromas of the workplace were masked by the smell of smoke. However, the advent of smoking rooms followed by the complete ban has raised a new set of issues, especially in entertainment and leisure centres. As Ian Osbourne, managing director of PHS Washroom explains, “The ban on smoking in public has uncovered unpleasant smells ranging from sweat and flatulence to stale beer and damp conditions.”
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But the problem is not just confined to these areas as Osbourne explains further, “More flexible working conditions mean that staff are increasingly encouraged to take lunch and tea breaks when they like—with more offices providing food preparation areas for staff (including microwaves for hot food). Therefore colleagues may find their concentration is hampered by hot food smells in the workplace—a contentious issue for some.” And it’s not just food smells that are unpopular. Body odour and perfumes regularly top surveys as unwanted aromas permeating the workplace.
So, whether we chose to admit it or not, the workplace is a very smelly place to be. In fact there’s a growing body of evidence that suggests that the workplace aroma should be managed along with all the other factors that impact on our daily working lives. How we do so is a matter of debate. Smells can be neutralised but what, if anything, should be added?
Osbourne advocates a “fresh air” approach, saying “Smell is such an emotive trigger—with much research into the connection between smell and the brain—that it is important for organisations to select a fragrance that everyone will like, and that is not instantly offensive to some. This makes a neutral scent the ideal option.”
But there are others who apply essential oils and the science of aromatherapy to add fragrances to the air.
Odour of service
Brian Chappell, managing director of Signature Aromas, explains, “you can think of essential oils as producing a rainbow of aromas. At one end of the spectrum are the berries, and these are very effective for masking odours. They encapsulate the smell and leave a positive aroma in its place. At the other end of the scale are the “pretties” the flower scents. These do not have an encapsulating effect but can be used to lighten the feel of a workplace”.
One approach is to introduce a chosen aroma into the workplace via the building’s ventilation system, but Chappell believes that the way forward is to allow workers to individualise their workspace with personal aroma generators. He claims that this will not lead to aromas competing with each other, even in open space working environments, because units can be fined tuned to meet the individual’s specifications.
Daniel Graham joint MD at C Interactive has also seen a demand for personalised aroma generators, especially from senior managers looking to personalise their offices following the smoking ban, but is interested in introducing aromas to the work place as a whole.
However use of aromatherapy is relatively new in the British workplace, and widespread use of essential oils has been slow to catch on. Chappell sees a huge potential for growth in the market, but says that it is not helped because many organisations are extremely reluctant to talk about its use. Graham believes that a “big brother” mentality is prevalent in many quarters and that this is deterring organisations from using essential oils in the workplace. However he believes that people are becoming more understanding and that with the understanding will come acceptance.
Lingering doubt
So why is the spread of use so slow? Coshh regulations ensure that all products are safe, and it’s not illegal to use them. Natural oils give no allergic reactions and their use has been developed from one of the most demanding testing grounds in the world, premature baby wards. If essential oils are certified safe for perhaps the most vulnerable, then why isn’t business reaping the benefits? It’s uncertain if organisations are sceptical of the claims made for the products or uncertain of the repercussions if they are “found out”. Maybe there is a fear that the workforce will take unkindly to the idea that it had been subject to what one might call “performance enhancing substances”.
Graham argues that the use of aromas is not about exploiting the workforce, although he adds that consensus should not be necessary for their introduction and, perhaps controversially, adds that organisations should not broadcast their use. Graham advises use of aromas as part of an holistic approach to workplace enhancement, adding that it’s certainly not a technology to be used in isolation. He also strongly recommends that objectives should be set prior to the introduction of aromas and that the results should be monitored to ensure that those objectives are met.
At C Interactive staff are given the opportunity to feedback on their working environment and the effect of aromas is measured within the indicator for the general ambience of the premises. Ian Osbourne at PHS agrees, and says that creating the ideal ambience in the workplace is a delicate balance of heating, ventilation, sound, lighting and even smell. But he reiterates the need to maintain neutrality.
“Not all smells have the same effect on every person,” he says. “Some may have an energising effect, while others have a soporific one. Some may be instantly pleasant to some, and instantly disagreeable to others. In order to fulfil the primary role of an odour neutralising unit, it is best to opt for one with a neutral ‘tone’, as this is least likely to raise controversy”.
So the choice is yours. But remember, introducing an uplifting aroma is only part of the wider building management environment.
Guy Moody is a freelance journalist
