Something Smells, Aroma Therapy In The Workplace

Since the beginning of the new millennium, aroma therapy has become an issue taken into serious consideration by many businesses and employers. In many case studies, the use of aroma therapy in the workplace has been proven to reduce work related stress and improve activity, as well as reduce the cause of most illness. Aroma therapy is not only proven to add protection against infectious diseases, it's been proven to affect the mood and morale of employees. Working in an aroma therapy treated environment enables employees to think more positively and clearly, along with feeling better altogether. Being able to function in a stress-free environment can allow employees to act with more intuition and heart.

Aromatizing our working environment can also be a purifying experience by the use of fungicidal, anti-bacterial, and antiviral therapy to reduce the chances of contracting a respiratory disease, allergies, or other negative effects generated by air conditioning units. These purifying agents also reduce the chance of contracting a contagious disease by those who work in crowded offices or schools. Some purifying agents also seem to have an ionizing effect by appearing to reduce static electricity caused by a large number of electrical equipment, like computers, copiers, fax machines, etc. When all this equipment overcharges the atmosphere, they can induce psychosomatic symptoms such as stress, mood swings, aggression and over all tension.

A pleasant working environment is now more of a necessity than desire for employees when considering employment. Positive attitudes in the workplace are closely connected to an aroma therapy treated environment. Employee burnout and stress has become a continuing problem in the workplace that has many employers searching for solutions to these serious problems. Some factors that contribute to employees becoming stressed are computers, lack of sunlight, pressuring work demands, and deadlines, harsh chemicals used for cleaning and improper lighting. The use of aroma therapy in the workplace is taking a natural approach to adding comfort in the environment to reduce stress and therefore increase productivity.

Do your employees need a break? They might, if you've noticed symptoms like: irritability, depression, constant headaches, sluggishness, excessive absences or sick days, lost sense of humor, angry or defensive behavior, making more mistakes and trouble in concentrating.

Employees benefit: An aroma therapy treated environment offers a more comfortable and pleasant working environment. With this comes the ability to think more clearly and function more easily and also make fewer mistakes that take time to be corrected.

Employers benefit: Less absenteeism, increased productivity, and increased morale. Aroma therapy can also help stop the spread of infectious diseases, such as coughs, colds, flu, sore throats and other illness that can keep employees away from their work or prevent them from doing the work correctly and in a timely manner.

Aroma therapy can be used in the form of candles (depending on the working environment and company policy), a water bowl, spray bottle or other method that is acceptable to the working environment. You can find aroma therapy items in most stores, mainly in small selections. Some malls may have an entire store dedicated to aroma therapy or you can shop online and find a particular scent or method to dispense the therapy. There is an abundance of fragrances available through aroma therapy. So which ones should you pick? All fragrances tend to have different functions; most will state what the expected function or relief affect it will have on the package. If you are searching for something specific, you can search through the well stocked online stores and narrow your search down dramatically, all within the comforts of your own home, or office.

Some of the most widely used fragrances are:

Frankincense as a centering and stabilizing fragrance that revitalizes the mind and body and reduces anxiety.

Chamomile as a calming fragrance that tends to send relaxation against depression, stress, insomnia and anxiety.

Geranium as a fragrance to ease anxiety, mental and physical tension and regenerate emotional balance.

Lavender as a fragrance establishes emotional balance by relaxing the mind and promoting mental and physical well-being by dispelling fear, reducing anger and clears thinking.

Marjoram as a fragrance to aid in relief from emotional exhaustion and upsets, nervous tension, stress and as an aid to relive insomnia by relaxing the body and the mind.