Since the pandemic began a year ago, there has been renewed attention to our sense of smell. Who hasn’t had a conversation with someone who states that they were concerned they might have COVID-19, but since they hadn’t lost their sense of smell, they figured they were OK?
Although adding scents to any space can lead to multiple “challenges,” it seems that doing so now might be some sort of public service—although there are user groups who might debate that point. Scentscaping has been moving mainstream for a number of years, however. Even the Emergency Room at Vanderbilt’s hospital added scents to help manage patient stress levels.
The best way for spaces to smell is “good.” When users feel that a space smells “good,” moods generally improve, and with those boosts in mood come enhanced problem solving ability, creative performance, and ability to get along with others.
“Good” could be described as fresh and clean—but not medicinally clean—clean here has a meaning closer to “not anything bad.” The smell of fresh and clean air is something that, like so many other things, we recognize when we experience it but struggle to describe in words. The enhanced ventilation systems installed in some buildings since the pandemic began make “good” smelling offices more likely.
There are certain odors, however, that have been linked to particular benefits by rigorously conducted scientific research. These smell-based advantages are present even when odors are introduced at barely perceptible levels and continue even after we’ve been in a scent’s presence for a long time (which means after, in the words of a current ad, we’ve become “nose-blind” to it).
It’s hard to specify in absolute terms how much scent should be used in any space, but “barely perceptible levels” is by far the best way to add smells. Because of variations in HVAC systems, drafts, room shapes, etc., the best way to determine if a space is appropriately scented is via trial and error. Add scent to a space, via the HVAC system, essential oil diffusers, whatever options you’ve got, in small increments. As you do, continually ask users to visit the space. Ask them about what it’s like to be in the space. If they mention the scent spontaneously, cut it back. If users don’t mention the scent when talking about the area generally, ask them if they smell anything. When most do report smelling something, when asked, but only about two thirds can name the scent, you’ve acheived the right concentration.
So, what scents should you add to offices?
>The smell of lavender has been shown to both relax people and enhance trust. Relaxing and trusting are no doubt going to be useful as our world moves forward.
>The odor of lemon has been linked to enhanced professional performance.
>Smelling cinnamon-vanilla (the smell of a cinnamon roll) has been tied to enhanced creative performance.
Even if you feel now that you don’t want to add a scent to your workplace, keep lavender, lemon, and cinnamon-vanilla in mind. Many products, such as soaps and other cleaning products that officially are unscented actually have a smell, which is often not very good and can be reminiscent of ancient bathrooms. Lavender, lemon, and cinnamon-vanilla are better options. Also, sometimes, soaps, etc., are only available in some sort of “lightly scented” version.
Actively manage the scent-scape of your offices—the professional performance of users, and your design’s success, just may be enhanced.
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive scientist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform designers’ work are presented in straightforward language. Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at sallyaugustin@designwithscience.com.