The Psychology of Color in the Office

PURE Workplace’s Kansas City and Topeka offices recently received a facelift. The Topeka branch moved locations and the Kansas City branch had new carpet squares installed over our grey, cement floors. The results: fresh, more colorful offices that boost worker morale and productivity.

What we know, and want to share, about color in the workplace is that it has profound effects on our moods and in turn on our office efficiency. Imagine working in a predominantly white and grey space. Grey - the color of cement, missiles, and rocks. And then white - the color of hospitals and bird poop. None of these things inspire me to be creative or work harder.

Now you probably won’t believe me when I tell you PURE’s office is largely white and grey. What they lack in inspiration, they make up for in function. White and grey open up the office and make any space feel larger. However, these dull colors need to be balanced with pops of strategically placed blues, greens, yellows, and reds.

Green and blue have been found to improve efficiency and focus among people. This means in areas that require hard work and productivity, these hues should be incorporated into the design. Think blue or green desk chairs like the HON Mid-Back Task Chair or the Teknion In-The-Zone Sofas.

Warmer colors like yellow and orange are found to inspire optimism and freshness. This should come as little surprise - just think about how you feel on a sunny day. So make the workplace that same sunny oasis in a collaborative space. This could include yellow stools and ottomans from Teknion or colorful carpet squares like the ones PURE just installed from Shaw Contracts and Tandus Centiva. This space will serve as the perfect gathering areas for employees, students, or volunteers to come together and create something creative, innovative, and new.

Color can have a profound impact on a person’s mood, and it is our job as designers to channel this power into an environment that cultivates hard work, creative thinking, and personal well-being. This begins with a workplace that incorporates color into the space.