Feng Shui – Feeding The Senses in the working environment

Dr Dawn Gibbins MBE founder of Barefoot Feng Shui  explores how feeding the senses can make the working environment more focused and happy.

“Do you remember when you last spring cleaned a room – specifically the feeling you had once you had finished?  Everything sparkled and felt light and airy.  Can you recall your feelings once you had decorated a room – clutter free, no furniture and probably, for the first time, seeing the full potential of the room’s size, shape, light, shade etc.  Hopefully, you will recall those feelings, and hopefully, those feelings were positive.  Most of us, I’m sure, would prefer to be in a clean, sparkling, lively room compared to a dark, dusty, dingy, cobweb-infested one.  If you agree, then congratulations!  You are well on the way to understanding the concept of Feng Shui.  Nothing mystical about not wanting to share a room with cobwebs and dust.  It’s common sense and it’s also about choice.

Think about the work place. Take a walk around your office, laboratory or factory …how does it make you feel - what can you see, smell, hear, taste and feel ?

People spend half their waking hours at work. A pleasant environment will raise the spirits and level of satisfaction of employees and this links directly with job performance.

So let us now turn to Feng Shui to satisfying all the senses of our Employees

Seeing, Feeling, Smelling, Hearing, Tasting.

We want work environments to be stimulating and satisfy our senses to promote wellbeing.

We want you to work in environments that make us feel good.

Seeing

Surround staff with pleasant colours, artwork, furniture, plants and objects that are pleasing to the eye.  Colour is one of the most critical factors.

Colour surrounds us - feeling and nourishing our senses. We see it, feel it and absorb it. Our minds, bodies and spirits are profoundly affected by it.

Our bodies are stimulated and energised by some colours, or calmed and relaxed by others.  Mentally and emotionally, colour works on a deep level, changing our mood and our sense of well being.

Sound

Play music in reception, create a warm inspirational welcome with the sound of music.  Ensure no noise pollution from equipment and try to counteract buzzing computers or photocopiers etc.

Smell

Satisfy your sense of smell with the scent of fresh flowers,  have fresh lemon slices next to your drinking water supply so staff can have a slice of lemon in their water – it is a real energizer.

Touch

Make all surfaces surrounding staff safe to touch. Vary textures and put in place objects that are inviting to touch, i.e. amazing marble sculpture. Think about placing your products on display so people can touch and feel.

Taste

Ensure water is available in all zones to freshen up your team and keep them healthy, Make fresh lemon slices available in reception for water to energize your taste buds.  Put fruit in meeting rooms

When you choose a pleasurable, low–stress environment, you’re also choosing energy.

Warm Colours energize the brain, Natural scents stimulate alertness and sounds are an earful of energy – so make them positive.”