Workplace Solutions

How Color Affects Mood in The Workplace

Written by:
Evan La Ruffa
Nov 13, 2017

Most of us have suspected that the colors we see influence us, but knowledge as to how color affects mood has gotten quite precise. We’ve all had to wait in a room whose walls were bright yellow and gotten that clammy, uneasy feeling. Well, scientific research has confirmed our suspicions and found that colors, not just yellow, can in fact can influence our emotions and thought patterns in a variety of interesting ways.

How color affects mood has a wide range of practical applications for all sorts of people. For example, the fact that red evokes passion and grabs attention means it can be a beneficial color for a woman to wear on a date. Her male date’s blue shirt is also likely to evoke her confidence that he is stable and trustworthy.

It makes sense that business leaders would look to use colors to enhance their workspaces to potentially improve outputs. Here are some ideas of how workplace designers can use color schemes to improve office culture and function.

Paint your welcome area YELLOW:

Sunny shades resembles solar energy and make all who enter feel cheerful, calm and concentrated. Keep yellow out of confined spaces where too much of it can inspire a “spaced out” feeling.

Use BLUE for all your positive needs:

Blue is proven to make people more agreeable, relaxed and quiet. Since colors tend to evoke feelings of where they appear in nature, blue’s connection to a clear sky and a vast ocean evoke feelings of calmness, dependability, loyalty and wisdom. Wear blue to show you’re an expert and have confidence in what you say and do.

Accent your office with GREEN:

Green is the best color for a desktop background because it causes the least amount of eye strain. Since blue can lower heart rates and green reduces anxiety and is associated with money, combining them is the best for a high-powered and effective workplace.

Use RED and BLACK sparingly:  

These colors can evoke conflict, aggression and rising blood pressure and should be avoided if office flare ups are a threat. Also avoid grey, which is passive and dampens energy.

Now that you know understand mood color meanings and how colors affect mood, you can choose the colors to enhance the workplace operations around you. Don’t forget that the use of a mood color can also make a statement about your organizational values and its culture.

In cases when brand new color schemes for an office are impossible, decorate your office with art curated by an expert who can customize the art to evoke exactly what you want from your workforce.

Written by:
Evan La Ruffa
Nov 13, 2017

tags: business tips, how colors affect mood, mood color, mood color meanings, mood in the workplace