New York, NY , October 2018– Modern, innovative coworking spaces are cropping up across the country, as everyone from freelancers to top execs are saying goodbye to the traditional office design of the past. Creative, comfortable, and with improved productivity, it’s no doubt that the coworking sector will continue to grow.
But to what do coworking spaces owe their success? A survey by Coworker.com revealed that professionals cited an ergonomic work environment as one of the things they appreciated the most about coworking spaces, especially noting interest in standing desks as a way to enhance wellbeing and interaction. These findings were confirmed in a subsequent study by VersaDesk (www.versadesk.com).
In practical terms, this further translates to the workspace’s ability to appeal to the users’ senses. 34% of coworking members reported appreciating ambient music in their working environment, while an even higher percentage (41%) reported ambient scenting as a key way to improve the workplace experience.
While background music has played everywhere from elevators to boardrooms for decades, ambient scenting has emerged as the newest and most desired “value-add” in improving public spaces. Scenting industry leader Prolitec (www.prolitec.com) reports it now has over 130,000 installations in 83 countries globally, covering retailers, restaurants, hotels, banks, casinos, hospitals, sports venues, commercial/residential real estate, and now, most recently, coworking spaces.
That growing interest was noted by Jim Kern, Co-Founder of Stamford, CT-based Comradity (www.comradity.com): “In my own interactions with other coworking operations throughout the country, we all agreed that adding technologically controlled scenting to our environment is an asset for client retention and branding. After all, we’re in a competitive industry and this extra element is yet another way to separate ourselves from the pack.”
According to Raymond Matts, head of Fragrance Design at Prolitec, such interest is a natural extension of ambient scenting success in other work venues. “The key to an ideal environment is that the scent must be subliminal and subtle, with the proper balance between uplifting and comfortable. And certainly, the goal in a workplace is to energize.”
“Since the sense of smell is one of our most underused senses, it is often ignored and only acknowledged when we are confronted with unpleasant odors, “ Matts added.
With that as a guide, Matts recommends the following scents for coworking spaces:
Sunshine: Citrus notes which are energizing, yet relaxing, due to how they are used in the structure, and its soft woods provide comfort.
Marsala: This scent has a zen-like approach; addictive from the nut base and with aromatic notes that stimulate the brain, balanced with citrus making it a stimulating scent.
Other fragrances well-suited for the workplace are Bamboo Wood and Cucumber Mint. Even better, the Prolitec’s experts can customize scents to reflect any environment, and its evenly-distributed system delivers the proper balance.
As for music in coworking spaces, research from neuropsychologists at Mindlab International shows that 90% of workers produced more accurate test results when listening to music, and that same research noted that different types of music are better suited to different tasks: classical music for detail-oriented work and pop music for account management. In addition, research from various music licensing companies notes that background music boosts overall productivity and morale.
With that in mind, since music can have such a strong impact on people’s productivity in the workplace, it has become equally important to plan its use, and there are now several companies serving as curators in that capacity, creating soundscapes for people for different environments.
Two of the leaders are Soundtrack Business (www.soundtrackyourbrand.com), and PlayNetwork (www.playnetwork.com), both of whom offer vast libraries of all music genres customized to match a venue’s needs.
Bottom line is that sensory marketing has become increasingly important in today’s value-added conscious marketplace, and the growing interest in ambient scenting and sound are the latest examples of how companies are truly “coming to their senses.”
