Are You Using the Best Lighting to Boost Office Productivity?
Many people don't realise that the lighting in a room affects the way that we feel. This is especially true in office environments. Poor office lighting leads to headaches, lethargy and a general feeling of unhappiness.
This is why office lighting should be one of the very first things to consider during the office design phase. Proper lighting isn't only good for employee health but also provides a positive attitude, increases productivity and helps the company save money as employees won't feel the necessity to stay out of the office. Your overall maintenance costs on proper lighting will also see a substantial decrease.
How does bad lighting affect employees?
Believe it or not but lighting has a significant impact on concentration and productivity levels. Recent studies have also shown that lighting has a deep impact on the lives we live.
It is not about placing a light tube into the ceiling and lighting the place up, especially if you want to improve the working environment. You also need to consider the following;
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Lux level
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Uniformity
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Colour temperature
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Any light flickering issues
Most workspaces use fluorescent lights but they can really strain your employees eyes due to flickering. The disposal of fluorescent tubes also pollute our environment as it contains high levels of mercury.
The American Society of Interior Designers showed that 68% of employees were dissatisfied about the lighting situation in their offices. This means that the vast majority of offices have unsatisfactory lighting. Is this currently being experienced in your own office?
Some of the things that you need to consider when choosing office lighting are:
Headaches and Migraines
Harsh overhead office lighting is usually one of the causes of migraines and headaches. If any employee experiences headaches or migraines during their workday, it could cause them discomfort, which prevents them from feeling productive or motivated.
And if that employee requires medical attention for their condition, it could in turn affect the company's bottom line.
Lack Of/Poor Sleep
The human body has a circadian rhythm. This is our internal clock that is triggered by natural lighting. Our bodies are naturally attuned to the rhythms of this sunlight.
This means if companies are able to replicate a natural type of lighting during office hours, employees are more likely to feel more motivated and energised. This means the body's natural internal clock will remain aligned.
Strained Eyes
Staring at the bright light of a computer screen all day already affects your employees eyes coupled with poor office lighting only adds to the pressures put on their eyes.
This bothersome combination could interfere with one's ability to concentrate and ultimately, lower their productivity.
What type of lighting is ideal?
Replacing your office lighting with LEDs is the best way to improve the workplace illumination as they are more energy-efficient than fluorescent lighting, do not contain mercury, and do not flicker. These mild and soft office lights alleviate headaches, especially for migraine sufferers because of their quality optics.
Bright white lights that mimic daylight improve the performance of employees. In addition to aiding people visually, the brightness and wavelength of ambient light can also impact the human circadian system, biological clock, mood, and alertness.
Researchers have found that exposure to short-wavelength or blue light during the day directly improves alertness and performance. Blue-enriched white light stimulates the brain, improves alertness, performance, and sleep quality. The intensity and colour temperature of artificial lighting affects physiological processes in the human body, including blood pressure, heart rate variability, and core temperature.
Our extensive range of LEDs is the perfect solution to your office productivity problems. Simply contact us to find out how we can seamlessly replace your existing lighting systems and ultimately improve your bottom line.
