{"id":2609,"date":"2026-08-16T16:26:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T15:26:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ambius.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2609"},"modified":"2026-10-18T16:36:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T15:36:15","slug":"channeling-the-smell-of-success-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ambius.co.uk\/blog\/channeling-the-smell-of-success-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Channeling The Smell of Success in The Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our sense of smell is incredibly powerful. Even if we can\u2019t determine a scent, it can trigger strong memories. Research has shown a huge 75% of emotions are generated by smell<\/a>, yet for many businesses, scenting is often overlooked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

British workers spend more time at their desk or workstation (6.8 hours) than in bed (6.4 hours)<\/a>, and 40% spend a maximum of just 15 minutes outside per day. Employers would be wise to explore ways to create a workplace that facilitates better health and wellbeing – scent being a powerful tool to achieve this.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Why is scent so powerful?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Humans can distinguish one trillion different scent combinations. Even if we can\u2019t pinpoint what the smell is, we have the ability to differentiate. This means we are highly adept at recognising a smell\u2019s association, which is often deeply rooted in memory and emotion. Incredibly, no two people experience a scent in the same way \u2013 making this sense a very personal one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scent is, however, often overlooked by brands and businesses – perhaps because we rely so much on what we see and hear in our decision-making process. Yet the right smell can generate good impressions with customers, clients, prospects and, perhaps more importantly, help make staff happier, more alert and more productive. The good news is that making it part of your office environment can be far easier than you may think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unpleasant odours = unpleasant experience <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m sure most people can recall a moment where a strong smell has stopped them in their tracks and made them cover their nose. In an office environment, a bad smell can quickly become overpowering and even something as simple as an employee\u2019s lunch could have a profound effect on their colleagues and their motivation levels at work. Our research found that three in five employees eat lunch at their desk three or more times a week<\/a>. The main reasons they gave for this included being too busy to take a lunch break or wanting to catch up on the news and personal administration while eating. Whatever the reason, this is likely to fill many work environments with the aroma of food\u2026 good and bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, more than half of office workers find it anti-social when a colleague eats strong smelling food at their desk.<\/a> Perhaps more importantly, a third find it hard to work as a result. Of course, many don\u2019t realise the unfavourable effect their lunch choices could have on co-workers who sit near them, so it\u2019s important to encourage office etiquette to create a hygienic and pleasant-smelling environment, and hopefully happier colleagues as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scenting products <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to a study by Rachel S. Herz<\/a>, assistant professor of psychology at Brown University, people who work in the presence of pleasant-smelling air report higher self-efficacy, set higher goals and are more likely to employ efficient work strategies than participants who work in a no-odour condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alongside good etiquette, scenting products can help to control and minimise smells that come from malodour-producing foods and other objects. One of the simplest and quickest options is installing air fresheners that automatically dispense fragrance to neutralise odours and create a pleasant-smelling environment. An air purifier can also help to eradicate any airborne bacteria and viruses in the office, including the flu virus, E coli, Salmonella, Streptococcus and Rhinovirus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing to be mindful of when it comes to air fresheners is that the scent isn\u2019t overpowering. Two fifths of British office workers said they found an overwhelming smell of perfume or aftershave in the office just as unpleasant as a bad smell. It\u2019s all about striking the balance and guaranteeing the diffusion of delicate, appealing smells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The smell of success <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Removing bad aromas is one battle, but if you\u2019re keen to channel productivity with the scents you inject into the office, there are a <\/a>number which have been identified<\/a> to increase staff productivity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n