Workplace Aromatherapy – Why More Businesses Are Scenting Their Spaces

Improved cognitive performance, enhanced productivity, better task accuracy, heightened memory, and good mood; all these and more are things every employer is seeking in a workforce. New research is now indicating that workplace aromatherapy is helping to boost performance by employing good old scents! A detailed study published on ResearchGate revealed that aromatherapy enhances work performance by balancing the autonomic nervous system. Ultimately, certain essential oils will reduce stress, induce arousal level which boosts alertness and attentiveness.

Does Aromatherapy Really Boost Workplace Performance?

If you are like many employers, you are probably skeptical about the whole aromatherapy thing. To this end, Organic Aromas went out in search of actual businesses that use aromatherapy for productivity. We sought to find out whether aromatic scents have impacted businesses and how they implement the same. What was also notable was the fact that aromatherapy in some workplaces is used lure customers in. 

We started by speaking to Roberta Perry

Roberta is the Founder at Scrubz Body Scrub Inc. a skincare company that helps individuals tap into self-love, self-care, and some good pampering in between.

Organic Aromas: You are in the business of skincare and wellness, tell us a little about yourself and what you do.

Roberta: I just hit my 60th year on earth and I brag about it, not shy away from it. I am grateful to have a family including grandsons and friends I adore. I love to travel and have been lucky enough to take some really cool trips around the world, either hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro, inline skating under the Seine River in France, or biking in the wine region of Spain to name a few. 

My business life is wrapped around extraordinary, 100% active ingredients skincare, however, it’s really about customer service and pampering people. It just happens to come in jars, bottles, and smiles. And an ear if they need to share. I love having a shop that feels like an oasis. I love hearing customers say things like “it smells so good in here!”. I love when they smile and relax as I am washing their hands with our scrub. We talk about treating ourselves with kindness. We talk about drinking enough water. We talk about juicing with healthy vegetables and fruits. Yes, I sell scrubs and lotions, but wellness and self-love is really the item I ring up.

Organic Aromas: You previously informed me that when customers or potential customers walk into your store, they are greeted by something that makes their ‘nose happy and soul smile’, tell us more.

Roberta: My entire store is filled with fragrance, since we have 16 scents of scrub, 8 scents of lotions and soap, and various other scented items, like candles that create a warm and inviting aroma. I’ll also daily put the diffuser on, filling it with either one of our scents, or a scent combo I love. 

Some days I will keep the front door open and the scent from inside wafts outside a bit too. Customers walk in and comment on the scent and smile as they say it. Then I introduce them to some of the other fragrances we carry. They are always transformed when they leave.

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Organic Aromas: How has scenting your store impacted customer experience in a nutshell, what has been the feedback?

Roberta: Having fragrance as one of the first attractions of our shop has brought people in off the street. 

It has evoked memories from customers as they recall another time, they smelled a Cherry Almond something, picked Lavender with their grandmother, or baked warm Vanilla cookies with their dad. Fragrance in general is memory-inducing for a reason. 

It has a direct link to our brains and makes people remember whom they were with, or what they were doing when a particular scent embedded itself in their memory. Walking into a shop filled with scents strikes that memory chord.

Organic Aromas: Please give us top tips on how people can create that inviting haven in their workspaces using essential oils.

Roberta: Essential oils are delightful, amazing, and powerful, so they need to be used properly and with respect. 

Diffusing is a perfect way to have them in your life. Just a few drops mixed into the diffuser will put just the right amount of fragrance in the air. A little bit of scent heaven will make your space extra special and make you feel good about being there. 

Organic Aromas: Finally, give us two practical things that all people can implement today to improve their well-being holistically.

Roberta: Drink enough water!! Our bodies are desperate to keep hydrated because they literally are more than 50% water themselves, so drink up! Make it easy for yourself by making it taste better. Infuse cucumber or orange slices. I put a squeeze of lemon or a blend of lemon and ginger into all my water. Then I carbonate it. I can drink that all day long and feel like I am having a special drink.

Find an exercise you enjoy. I hate going to gyms. Like truly hate them. Twice I lost money on memberships when my kids were young, so I finally stopped fooling myself. Instead, I found inline skating, biking, walking my dogs, Pilates, playing the drums, and hiking. I even walk on the elliptical listening to a book when the weather is bad. I suggest finding an activity that you like enough not to quit, and just keep at it.

What Other Companies Using Aromatherapy in Their Workspaces Had To Say…

Graham Byers is the Founder of Best Choice for Seniors. He has a strong background in biology and public health.

“We are beings of senses, aroma being the highest on my list, the power of a strong fragrance and the effect it has on our mood is beyond understanding. Entering a place and smelling sandalwood or jasmine for that matter gives me an insight into what my experience will be like, aroma has the power to calm you down and soothe you like a midnight lullaby. Having diffusers in every corner of our workplaces maintains a happy and calm environment. I judge an ambiance by the way it smells, almost like the instant vibes of the area.”

 Dr. Amelia Ellingson is the Lead Dentist at Swiss Biologic Dentistry.

“We are a holistic dental practice in Phoenix, Arizona, and we utilize aromatherapy throughout our office. We have diffusers throughout the office using essential oils that are known for their anti-anxiety effects. We also give patients a “menu of relaxation” where they can pick out their own essential oil. We have made sure that only those with anti-anxiety effects are available since that’s why they have even been given the ‘menu’. Our aromatherapists are part of our practice and we can’t imagine not having them on during the day!”

Max Shak is Founder at NerDigital and he uses aromatherapy in his workplace.

“For a better smell in our offices, we use fragrances. In addition to improving productivity, creativity, energy, focus, and mood, they help to create a more enjoyable working environment. Office air quality can also be improved by scents. Aromatherapy has been proven to improve employee satisfaction, morale, happiness, productivity, and performance when used in the workplace. Aromatherapy helps us significantly improve the workplace experience and reduce stress through its profound effects.”

Heather Sheldon is the Director at Tonic Yoga

“I’m a yoga teacher who specializes in luxury yoga retreats. I diffuse a lot of aromatherapy oils in my classes and talk about the benefits. I also diffuse them in my retreat venues. We simply cannot imagine yoga without aromatherapy.”

Andrew Porwol is Owner at Garden Centre Shopping

“I have multiple businesses from garden centres to my garden furniture store. My whole life has been dedicated to gardening, whether in my businesses, my home, or the community. Today I spend more time in doors than ever before and miss the seasonal smells. We use aromatherapy for two purposes, firstly to evoke relaxed and happy feelings that improve workplace wellbeing. And, secondly to help us with planning for the coming season. Filling the office with seasonally relevant aromas boosts our thought and idea process, bringing to mind flowers, scents, and colors. Our best ideas have been inspired by our use of aromatherapy.”

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Stephanie Scheller is The Impact Authority.

After studying human psychology for more than a decade and building her business from scratch to walk away from her job in less than five months, she has worked with more than 5000+ companies and is dedicated to helping small business owners understand how to create their greatest impact. Using the violin to tap into the human subconscious, Stephanie breaks down the psychology behind sales, marketing and people management to simplify implementation and accelerate growth. She is a TEDx speaker, a two-time best-selling author, an award-winning entrepreneur, and the founder of Grow Disrupt, a company that designs and produces educational & application-focused events to reinvigorate & inspire small business owners.

“Our business model is not a typical model for using aromatherapy. But it’s become a BIG differentiator for us. We design and produce educational events for entrepreneurs. Specifically, most of our guests tend to have some variety of ADHD or ADD and so we’ve built our events very heavily with those individuals’ brains in mind! We’re exceptionally intentional about what we provide as snacks, how the rooms are laid out, how the content is organized and presented…and now we pipe a custom scent into the room during the event as well.

This scent was designed both to energize and ground the individual experiencing it. Our goal is two-fold:

1. Help our guests stay grounded, focused, and invigorated at the event itself.
2. Send them home with some of the scent to use during the year when they are working on their businesses to help them return to the same frame of mind that they were in at the event itself and instantly tap into focused creativity since the smell-receptors in the brain are so incredibly powerful!

Since we had the scent created for us, it was a huge hit. Everyone loved how it helped them feel both relaxed, calm, focused and energized all at once!”

Final Thoughts

Companies can no longer afford to ignore the role played by aromatherapy when it comes to workplace productivity and, even drawing in potential customers. It is extremely easy to incorporate it without breaking the bank. As a business, the best way to know whether it works is to try it. With all the insightful quotes above from business owners, we have a feeling that you will not be disappointed!