Let there be light

11 December 2017

Four simple tips to boost productivity, staff morale and wellbeing through the clever use of office lighting.

Most people would agree it’s common knowledge that reading in the dark harms your eyes, but lighting has effects well beyond that. An employer’s choice of lighting can have a significant impact on the productivity of their company. With adequate lighting workers can increase their output with fewer mistakes which can lead to a noticeable increase in productivity. Good lighting also decreases the headaches, nausea, and neck pain associated with eye-strain.

Quite surprisingly, it can be easy to improve lighting without increasing the number of light bulbs, light fixtures or your power bill. Here are four key areas where you can establish better lighting through minor adjustments to your work environment.

Make Full Use of Daylight

Using daylight improves morale - and it’s free! Examine the workplace layout and worker’s needs to make good use of daylight. After examining, incorporating natural light into the work environment is simple with any of the following ways: provide skylights by replacing roof panels with translucent ones; equip the workplace with additional windows; place workstations near windows wherever possible.

Bright Interiors and Even Brighter Fixtures

Light colours create reflection that can amplify the natural light. By painting your walls and ceiling a bright colour, your workplace will see a noticeable increase in the available light in the workplace. To amplify this, ensure the items that fill your working environment are bright and colourful. With a large range of customisable colours available for most workplace fixtures, your workplace can be brighter than ever!

Eliminate Shadows and Glare

Working in shadows or areas with glare can significantly decrease productivity and cause eye strain. A few low-cost suggestions to eliminate shadows and glare include: changing the position of your staff’s workstations or light sources; using multiple light sources by mixing direct and reflected light; and harnessing lamp shades which reflect light upwards, as reflected light from ceilings provides the best visibility.

Provide Separate Electric Switches

Clever arrangement of your electrical switches allows workers to switch off unnecessary lighting, resulting in a considerable saving on the cost of electricity. Consider supplying separate switches for each lighting fixture or small group of lights. Also install switches within easy reach of workers which are easy to operate and assure each local light has its own plug so it can be easily moved according to work requirements.

With light being a key component of vision, and vision being responsible for around 85% of our perception, it’s not difficult to see why ignoring proper lighting strategies in your office could have a significant negative impact on productivity. By adopting these few simple, cost-effective, proven lighting strategies to your commercial workplace, you stand to not only save energy. You can also increase the effectiveness, morale and overall wellbeing of your team.