Look up. Do you see white walls? It may be time to repaint your practice. According to a University of Texas study, color doesn’t just affect mood, it can impact work performance.

To prove it, researcher Nancy Kwallek asked people to perform clerical tasks in three rooms, each with a different wall color (red, white or aqua). As you might have guessed, they made the most mistakes in the white room.

“White doesn’t help us be productive, and most work environments are white, off-white, or gray,” said Kwallek.

That’s right. White walls could be to blame for prescription errors, low staff productivity or under extreme circumstances, maybe even a misdiagnosis.

So what color should you paint your office?

A colorful balance for staff and patients

Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwinn-Williams, recommends a balance of warm of cool colors.

Blue and green motivate and inspire, and help put patients at ease. Mix in neutral tones like beige or wood to lower stress, and avoid making the office too cold.

Besides white, Jordan cautions to stay away from vibrant colors like red or yellow, which can amp up anxiety. And that’s bad everyone – you, your staff, and your patients.