Updated Jan. 13, 2025 at 5:30p.m.*
NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE — A mix of mimosa, iris, orange blossom and cedar: That is what Statera’s employees and visitors are supposed to smell when they enter the offices of the French consulting firm.
Based in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, the company has been diffusing fragrances in its entrance hall, open office spaces and dining area since 2023. “When you enter an environment that smells good, it unconsciously contributes to the fact that you feel good there,” says Ian Bradac, Statera’s founder.
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In recent years, more and more employers have been taking the plunge. Some call on specialized companies such as Scentys, founded in 2004. About two years ago, the SME, which initially only targeted hotels and shops, started offering companies the chance to create a custom scent for them or to choose from a selection.
“The idea is for employees to have a workplace that is as pleasant as their home, where they are used to using candles, mist or reed diffusers, etc.,” explains Maxime Philippe-Bonelli, who works as a “nose” (perfumer) at Scentys.
Hard to please everyone
The act of perfuming the premises is often part of a broader approach to promote the well-being of employees and encourage their return to the office.
“Companies that do this are inspired by luxury hotels. Just like them, they have very neat premises and furniture, as well as an entrance hall where music is played and where various plants are arranged depending on the season,” says Nicolas Beuvaden, founder of Welcome at Work, a company that manages workspaces.
While some seek to have an “olfactory signature” with a scent of their own, others diffuse fragrances first of all for their effects, Philippe-Bonelli says. “We have recently introduced a collection of active fragrances with soothing, energizing or stimulating properties.”
Whatever the goal, choosing a fragrance is no easy task. “It must not be too powerful, otherwise it will give users a headache or nausea. Our challenge is to find something consensual, which pleases a majority of people,” Philippe-Bonelli says.
Beuvaden confirms that “there’s always a fine line between a scent that is pleasant and one that is uncomfortable.”
Change fragrance every season
Fresh rose and citrus wood are Scentys’ most successful fragrances. In order to spread them, the company installs diffusers in the areas chosen by its customers or uses the ventilation system for larger spaces. While some only diffuse the fragrances in the entrance hall, to mark the passage between the outside and the arrival inside the premises, others do it throughout their building.
Sometimes, the fragrance is diffused on a daily basis. Others prefer to do it from time to time, to mark a special occasion: “For example, when customers visit the company or when it organizes an internal event,” Beuvaden says.
In summer, for instance, we offer a fragrance that is reminiscent of vacation.
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Office aromas
But just like the perfume we wear on ourselves, the risk is that employees get used to it overtime, to the point that they can no longer smell it. That is why Scentys suggests that its customers change the scent every season, as Philippe-Bonelli explains: “In summer, for instance, we offer a fragrance that is reminiscent of vacation. For autumn, it’s the forest and for winter, the fir tree.”
At Scentys, demand is increasing and comes mainly from companies listed in the French CAC 40 index, such as investment banks or insurance companies.
The founder of Welcome at Work, Beuvaden has noticed this trend mainly “in companies that have the means” and estimates that the number of companies taking the plunge is limited, at least for the time being. But if employees appreciate it, fragrances could take over more offices in the coming years.
*Originally published Sept. 1 2024, this piece was updated Jan. 13, 2025 with enriched media.
