Worn Out Workplace? Spiff it up with New Paint!

April 1, 2018

Few things are more depressing (for your employees and for your customers or clients) than a shabbily painted workplace. When the exterior or interior of your space is showing wear, it projects – even if it’s not true – that you don’t care about the working environment for your staff or the image you portray of your brand. A clean, new paint job can give your business an entirely new life. It improves aesthetics by giving your space a fresh look and covering up existing imperfections, and it can also improve the morale of your teams.

The Effect of Working in a Rundown Environment

A study conducted by Management Today magazine found that 97% of respondents consider their workplace a symbol of whether or not they’re valued by their employer. Further, more than 30% belonging to that same group said they felt embarrassed to bring clients back to their office.

An uninspiring, bland, and dilapidated workplace won’t have the same impact on your employees as one that you keep polished and updated. After all, how can they be expected to remain motivated and productive if their work environment brings them way down? We previously wrote about the psychology of color in the office. Simply refreshing the exterior or interior of your workplace can help with raising enthusiasm, but the actual choice of paint color can also greatly improve or reduce the efficiency of your employees. So, it’s important that you create an environment where employees actually want to show up and do their best work, and not be a place they dread going to every day because the place is drab and dreary.

Employee Engagement and Environment

Why should you invest in creating work spaces that your employees actually want to show up to? The answer is pretty simple. Employee well-being is  strongly correlated to employee productivity and performance , and even a  minor shift in well-being  can provide a dramatic impact on engagement.

Employees who enjoy and appreciate the environments they are a part of will be more engaged, productive, happy, and healthy. Numerous indices and studies – such as  Gensler’s Workplace Index ,  The Leesman Index , Steelcase , and many, many others – have explored the relationship between the physical space and business performance metrics, productivity, and what employees value in great detail.

From a monetary standpoint, Gallup’s 2017 “State of the American Workplace” found that employees who are actively disengaged are more likely to steal from their company, negatively influence their coworkers, miss work days and drive customers away. They estimate that actively disengaged employees cost   the U.S.   an amazing   $483 billion to $605 billion each year in lost productivity . So, it’s clearly apparent why you’d want to do everything in your power to help ensure that your employees enjoy their work environment and actually want to come to work.

If it’s time to update your workplace, contact us for a free estimate. We’d be happy to take a look and make recommendations for improving your working environment!

Large circular bank vault door in a beige wall, one side open, in an empty room
October 9, 2026
Businesses put a lot of thought into the experience they create for customers, clients, tenants, and visitors. Signage, lighting, furniture, cleanliness, and décor all contribute to the way a commercial environment looks and feels. Interior paint plays a role in that experience, too. Walls make up a large portion of what people see when they enter a commercial building. When paint is clean, cohesive, and well-maintained, it may simply feel like a natural part of the space. When walls are noticeably scuffed, faded, damaged, or inconsistent, however, they can draw attention for the wrong reasons.  Taking a fresh look at your interior paint can help ensure the condition of your space reflects the image your organization wants to present. First Impressions Begin With the Space Around You The physical condition of a commercial space begins communicating with visitors as soon as they walk through the door. Reception areas, lobbies, waiting rooms, hallways, and other customer-facing spaces help establish an initial impression of the property. Walls that appear clean and cared for can contribute to an environment that feels polished and professional. Visible wear can have the opposite effect. Scuffs, stains, chipped areas, and fading may make an otherwise attractive space look neglected or overdue for attention. One challenge is familiarity. When you see the same environment every day, gradual changes can be difficult to notice. Occasionally, viewing a space from a visitor's perspective can make worn areas much easier to spot. Wear Can Send an Unintended Message Commercial interiors are meant to be used, so some wear is unavoidable. Busy hallways experience frequent contact. Entrances see constant activity. Meeting rooms, reception areas, and shared spaces may develop marks and other signs of daily use over time. The question is whether that wear has reached a point where it begins changing the overall impression of the facility. A well-used building does not need to look brand new at every moment, but routine attention to visible wear can help prevent small imperfections from becoming a defining feature of the space. This is particularly important in prominent areas where customers, tenants, vendors, or other visitors spend time.
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