Does what you smell determine what you buy or how productive you are in the workplace? It sure does and here’s why…

Your sense of smell

Of all your senses, the power to smell is the only one that can’t be turned off; you can’t stop smelling what you are smelling! Furthermore, fragrance or scent affects your emotions and mood instantly because it is relayed directly to the olfactory bulb in the brain and from there to the limbic system. This is the part of the brain that governs your emotions, memories and also some of your more basic behaviour patterns such as the fight-flight-flee reaction to stimuli and sexual arousal. What it actually boils down to is that your sense of smell causes an instant reaction, your brain responds before you have time to think, while with all the other senses you think before you respond! Here are some other interesting facts about your sense of smell:

    • You breathe an average of 20 000 times a day and are able to recognise approximately 10 000 different fragrances or scents even when asleep
    • According to research findings, you are 100% more likely to remember a smell than something you have seen, heard or touched
    • You have a unique smellprint just as you have a unique fingerprint. Only identical twins have the same smellprint
    • Women have a stronger sense of smell than men especially during the first half of their menstrual cycles. Interestingly enough they report that body odour or smell is the one thing that either attracts them to a man or repulses them
    • Your sense of smell is stronger later in the day, after exercise and during spring and summer
    • About 80% of the flavours you taste are actually triggered by your sense of smell.

Can scent really affect productivity in the workplace?

According to research findings certain scents and your sense of smell influence your memory and attention span as well as performance. In one study, researchers found that cinnamon and peppermint scents improved people’s scores on tasks related to attention, virtual recognition memory, working memory and visual motor response speed. They also reported feeling less tired and more energetic while performing these tasks. Interestingly, lavender had the greatest effect on women and peppermint on men. Scents also seem to enhance health and wellness as Australian researchers found when stressed employees reported feeling calmer, less anxious and more positive after smelling orange and lavender scents. Even pain and pain tolerance is influenced by certain scents as indicated in studies undertaken in hospitals. And, to top it all, doctors are now using scents to help people manage their cravings. Sniffing banana, green apple and peppermint as prescribed by a New York GP, instead of snacking, actually helped people lose weight.

Smell manipulation

Unfortunately the power of smell can also be manipulated and used to unwittingly influence people, for example, to buy a product or even perceive the quality or value of the product to be higher than it really is. These days scientists are able to manufacture scents that may influence people’s moods and behaviour (shopping and spending) on the unconscious level; an awesome power that can be used either positively or negatively. People are generally tolerant about marketers’ ploys to influence them to buy products if they are given the time to recognise and react to what it is all about.

In conclusion

Can one then conclude that scent does have an influence on the health, wellness and productivity of workers? For sure, scent influences mood and mood behaviour. Healthy, happy and productive workers not only enhance the workplace, but also help save costs due to errors, absenteeism and other mental and physical health-related problems. Scents definitely also make it easier to spend rands and cents. So next time you go shopping, sniff the air, enjoy the scent but don’t be led by your nose to buy!

 

Sources
Bradford, K.D. & Desrochers, D.M. 2009. The use of scents to influence customers: the sense of using scents to make cents.
Fragrance effects. Retrieved from: http://www.northlandprep.org/proctor/Fragrance%20Effects.pdf
Herz, R. 2011. Smell manipulation. Retrieved from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/smell-life/201101/smell-manipulation
Rose, A. Does environmental scent influence attraction and mood? Retrieved from: http://psych.hanover.edu/research/Thesis06/Rose.pdf
Vorstermans, L. 24 “Gee Whiz” facts about your sense of smell-Part 1. 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.thesoslab.com/facts-part-1.asp