If you run a business that operates out of an office, you’ll be aware that keeping it in prime condition is vital for the continued success of your company. Making sure your office space is clean, fresh and professional has a multitude of benefits – not just for the staff that work there, but for any visitors or guests you may have during working hours.
A vital part of office upkeep is making sure the walls are painted regularly. Here are some reasons why you should consider painting your office walls more regularly – and some tips from our expert office painters and decorators in London for choosing paint colours and getting the job done.
The benefits of a clean, fresh office
First, we’re going to take a look at the benefits of having a clean and fresh office. Did you know that having an organised, streamlined workspace can actually boost productivity? Studies show that working in a space which is tidy, neat and fresh can boost motivation and reduce stress among staff. A study by Staples also found that 94% of employees report feeling more productive in a clean workspace, while more than three-quarters said that the work they produced was of a higher quality when they were in a clean environment.
If you have an office with paint peeling off the walls, or dingy discoloured paint surrounding your employees, the place is going to feel messy, unorganised and unclean. Simply giving your office a lick of fresh paint can brighten up the place and make it feel cleaner, which could end up boosting your employees’ productivity.
Keeping up appearances
If you regularly conduct meetings with clients in your office space, you’ll know exactly how important it is to keep up appearances and make a great first impression on your visitors. For example – if you run a small accountancy firm and you’re welcoming clients into your working environment, they might be put off if they see that you’re operating from a premises which is not well kept.
If your visitors and potential clients walk into an office and see peeling paint or uneven patches on the walls, it’s not going to generate a positive and professional first impression. They might even take their custom elsewhere if they believe you’re running an unprofessional operation.
Repainting your walls at least one per year can help to keep up appearances and make sure that your guests aren’t put off when they arrive at your offices.
Your office is part of your brand
Branding is a crucial part of any business’ success in this day and age – and your office forms a key part of your brand. You need to ensure that your office, its colour scheme and its furnishings actually represent the identity of your business.
For example, if you run a small law firm, which needs to convey a formal and professional image at all times, it might be inappropriate to paint your office walls in bright, funky colours. On the other hand, if you run a trendy tech startup, your office needs to reflect that innovation, and going for plain old white might not fit the bill.
This is why you should consider regularly repainting your office – to ensure that the colours in your workspace are consistent with the brand you’re trying to build.
Choosing a paint colour for your office
So we’ve established that painting your office is important. Now we need to decide what colour you’re going to use the next time you have your workspace repainted.
Colour has been known to affect behaviour in a number of ways. In babies, it’s widely known that you shouldn’t paint a nursery yellow, because it can overstimulate them. Colour psychology is also used in branding to invoke certain feelings – blue is associated with trust, green is associated with peace and the environment, yellow is associated with youth and energy, and so on. These are things to consider when choosing your office paint colour.
Many office have crisp, clean, white walls – it’s simple and it’s effective. But a study from the University of Texas has suggested that white walls could be counterproductive for office workers. In a productivity study, workers were split into three groups and had to complete tasks in there different rooms: a red room, a white room, and an aqua room. While some people were able to ‘block out’ the effects of colour, all groups made more errors when they worked in the white room.
In other studies on worker preference, many have suggested they like to work in a blue, or blue-green environment. These colours are calming without being boring, and they communicate trust and innovation.
Some people choose grey as a neutral colour – but one colour psychology consultant from London said that grey lacks energy and could even foster a lack of confidence. If you’re going to use grey, you should offset it with a more energetic colour, like yellow or orange.
So what are the best colours to choose when repainting your office?
Here are our recommendations:
• Blue – you can’t go wrong with blue. It’s a conservative colour, associated with honesty and trust, which is why it’s used by many banks and financial institutions in their branding.
• Green – green is associated with serenity, growth and security. Darker shades of green are also used to indicate prestige, which is useful if you’re trying to attract high-end clients.
• Burgundy – not as distracting as red, burgundy is a formal colour, perfect for more corporate businesses trying to project an image of control and responsibility.
If you’re not confident enough to paint your entire office one of these colours, choose a ‘feature wall’ in your space and balance it out with tonal beiges, nudes or greys, for a look that is professional without being overwhelming.
For more information about our office painting from our commercial painters and decorators in London, get in touch with the team today.
