Want a raise? Take your boss to coffee.

If you want a raise, ask your boss to coffee

According to studies out of Yale and Tel Aviv universities, the things you touch, feel and smell have the ability to subconsciously alter your reactions. So asking your boss for a little more in your monthly paycheck could mean a more positive outcome for you if he or she has two hands wrapped around a giant warm mug of coffee while the smell of baked goods waft through the air.

Don’t believe us? Here are the details.

The idea of embodied cognition — the belief that the brain and the body are connected — has been around for years. Yale Professor John Barg conducted a study that found physical warmth promotes emotional warmth. He asked participants to hold hot and cold drinks and rate the personalities of strangers.

With hot drinks were in hand, the strangers were perceived as more generous and sociable. He ran a related experiment with hot and cold therapeutic pads. Participants holding the hot pads were more giving and likely to choose a gift for a friend rather than themselves.

Similarly, Israeli psychologist Thalma Lobel studied how the human mind is unconsciously swayed by examining how temperatures, colors, smells and comfort levels can alter reactions.

It turns out, warm temperatures make people temporarily more friendly. Comfortable chairs increase generosity (car purchase offers went up by up to 40% when buyers were seated in comfy chairs). And the color red can increase anxiety and avoidant behavior (flashbacks to those graded tests in elementary school).

So if you are building up the nerve to ask your boss for that raise, pick a warm, sunny day and invite her or him to coffee in one of Charlotte’s growing list of coffee shops. You may get an awkward look if you try to hand over a hot, therapeutic pad, but remember to at least give up the comfortable chair — and perhaps keep the red out of your wardrobe that day.

Here are five local places that may help you seal the deal:

(1) Artisan’s Palate

1218 E. 36th St., Suite A

Order a cafe au lait, served in a large, Parisian-inspired bowl, perfect for radiating warmth. Take it to the shop’s “secret outdoor garden” to add some fresh air and ambiance. Cue the chirping birds — how could your boss refuse?

(2) Coco and the Director

100 W. Trade St.

There is no shortage of inviting seating options at this funky establishment. Grab some chalk and sign up for a co-lab space offered on a first-come, first-served basis, or pull up a beanbag in the stadium seating area for a more laid-back vibe. Whether you opt for a chai tea latte or an Americano with this season’s maple pecan syrup —don’t forget to pair it with a mouth-watering cronut.

(3) Mayobird

1531 East Blvd.

The smell of fresh waffles cooking will lure the best mood out of just about anyone. So order up the monthly waffle special (in November, it’s the delectable cinnamon chip) and snag a spot by the cozy fireplace, sit back and relax on the couch or pull up a chair on the deck. Don’t be surprised if a friendly staff member pops by and asks if you’d like a refill — they’re free.

(4) Parliament

300 S. Tryon St.

Make it a flat white. With more than 100 seating options and easy access to Romare Bearden Park on a day filled with Carolina blue skies, this location is easy on the eyes and the tastebuds.

(5) Waterbean Coffee

Multiple locations

With six locations around Charlotte and a new one opening on Park Road in December, Waterbean’s environment is so warm and welcoming it’s even responsible for a chance meeting that eventually led to an in-shop engagement, according to owner Tony Vo. Spoiler alert: She said, “yes.” Wonder if the answer would have been the same with an iced tea?