The Workspace Embraces the Scented-Office Trend

When Brian Daniel, head of the headhunting firm The Celebrity PA in Los Angeles, rents shared workspaces for his team while traveling the world, he uses scent to set the right mood. On a recent trip to Riyadh and Dubai, when he leased a private space within a coworking facility, he diffused frankincense and Oud incense, made from wood chips. “I am a proponent of aromatherapy in the workspace because the sense of smell isn’t often thought of when people are at work, but I find that it keeps people engaged and alert,” he says. 

Daniel isn’t alone in noticing that scent has a powerful impact on the workplace. Shared workspaces, hotels and developers are discovering that the nose is a powerful sense organ, and an office or workspace that smells wonderful can greatly enhance the experiences of customers and employees. Science supports the use of scent in some instances. One study, for instance, found that 90% of respondents felt there had been an improvement in the work environment after lavender burners were used for three consecutive months.

Michelle Murphy Niedziela, PhD, a behavioral neuroscientist who studies how sensory input shapes psychology and perception, says one reason for the trend is how sterile shared workspaces were over the years. “It was almost like having sensory deprivation,” she says. Scent  is a powerful way to leave an impression on customers, according to Niedziela. “No matter where you are—Bangkok, Paris, or New York, you walk in and it feels familiar,” she says. 

However, developing signature scents can be costly, particularly when brands invest in those that include multiple notes and ingredients, which are seen as more luxurious, she says. Given the power of scent to create a unique vibe, she says, “Perfumers are a bit like rockstars in that industry. They’re paid really well.” 

A holistic approach to scent

Hot industry trends for 2026 include aroma mapped to emotion; nature-inspired scents with a refined edge and immersive, intentional environments—such as energizing scents near entryways, calming scents in waiting areas or lounges, and grounding scents in spaces set aside for consultation, according to a blog published by ScentAir, a scent marketing firm that provides air purification and “experience fragrances” for many major brands.

One example is Hines, the commercial real estate developer. Embracing “holistic hospitality,” the company developed a scent it describes as “a fusion of floral and wood notes” for its office and residential properties, collaborating with ScentAir and the fragrance developer Bel Aire. It pumps the scent through its HVAC systems in common areas. “Scent has been proven to enhance our social, emotional and cognitive well-being, and plays an integral role in creating memorable experiences,” says Whitney Burns, senior vice president, global client strategy, on the Hines website. “With ingredients that have shown to boost happiness, lower blood pressure, and relieve fatigue, the Hines signature scent was carefully curated with the well-being of our clients and guests in mind.” 

Meanwhile, the hotel Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas pumps the aroma Coconut Spice, designed to fit the hotel’s tropical identity, through the HVAC system and 135,000-square-foot casino, according to a case study published by ScentAir. At Westin Hotels & Resorts, ScentAir created a curated signature fragrance, now available to consumers through its White Tea candles and oils.

Other brands are turning to the scent marketing agency Air Aroma, which has worked with clients including WeWork and hotels such as Fairmont, Kimpton, Sofitel and The Lana, along with the longevity lifestyle club House 120, according to its website. At WeWork, it tested a fragrance that blends Yuzu, Bergamot, Violet, Lavender, Orange Wood, Amber, and Patchouli in a 2023 trial using cold-air diffusion technology at select global locations. The agency continues to work with the coworking giant to integrate scent into its design, according to its website.

Fostering teamwork

Although the right scent can enhance a workspace, that’s not universally true for every worker or tenant. Employers need to be mindful of individual preferences, Niedziela says. While lavender might remind one person of a beloved grandmother, someone else might have a negative memory, she says. Context matters, too. “If you smell lavender in a kitchen, it’s very different from smelling lavender in a spa,” she says.

To avoid conflicts at his office in Los Angeles, Daniel alternates different aromatherapy scents in his office and rented coworking spaces. “Each day of the week, we rotate what we use based on votes,” he says. “This makes everything equitable and raises spirits because everyone has a voice.”

Keeping indoor air healthy

Workplaces and designers who incorporate scent need to be mindful of ingredients, notes Huib Maat, the in-house perfumer at Pairfum London, who has worked with clients in industries such as law, boutique hotels and restaurants, to scent their properties.

Most seek to create a sense of wellbeing and to mute synthetic odors from carpets and wall coverings, and they often get positive feedback, he says. “Effectively, people are saying ‘It’s much nicer to walk into a room. It’s a nicer working environment. I feel more comfortable.” 

He sees a push for electronic solutions, like atomization through new electronic systems that keep scent from becoming the equivalent of background noise. “You have to keep in mind that the nose gets saturated,” he says. “The next evolution in the workplace will be alternating scents where they probably have three fragrances, and every hour they have pulsating fragrances. They don’t have to be vastly different. You’re tricking the nose into recognizing these scents again.”

However, building designers and dwellers need to take care to avoid elements that might make scent troublesome for clients with allergies or other health concerns, he notes. Pairfum London uses a carrier liquid that does not include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), for instance, and does extensive testing on its products before introducing them into a work environment. “It’s probably one of the key reasons people buy from us,” he says.

Beyond healthy formulations, many customers are seeking something harder to define: sophistication, he says. “When you think about public toilets, the scent is very cheap,” he says. “You do not want to have that cheap scent the minute you go into a workplace, in your bathroom or anywhere else in the building.” In the end, using scent is all about enhancing a brand, and if it detracts in any way, it’s better to do without it.