There are various factors that the majority of people know have an impact on the productivity in a workplace. Comfortable seating, the availability of water fountains, or other forms of water dispensers, more spacious and open desks and work areas and providing key amenities such as a nice break room and places to relax in their downtime are all key aspects.
However, there is one crucial factor that is often forgotten about by many businesses and employers around the world – lighting. Of course, everyone knows that lighting is essential, but what many people don’t seem to realise is how the type and intensity of the lighting in a workplace impacts the productivity of the employees.
Many employees complain that their workplace has inadequate lighting. In fact, an American Society of Interior Design study found that 68% of the employees who participated said they had complaints about the lighting choices in their work premises.
Interestingly, it seems that it is the two extreme ends of lighting that most employees complain about; that the lighting is either too bright and harsh or too dim and dull.
The Problem with Most Artificial Lighting
Lighting that is too harsh or bright can have numerous negative effects on productivity. Harsh and bright lighting has been linked, particularly fluorescent bulbs, to causing migraines and eye strain. It can also make it harder for employees’ eyes to focus properly. All of which can slow the work rate of members of staff right down.
On the other side of things, dim or dull lighting can be just as bad a problem. It’s intriguing to note, for instance, that if a room is poorly lit and dull, it makes the eyes work harder to focus and see properly. This in turn causes headaches and at the very least eye strain.
Dim or dull lighting can also sap employees’ motivation and make them feel drowsy and lethargic, which has obvious direct effects on productivity. With these problems in mind, it’s essential for employers to look for ways to improve the lighting in their offices, such as by upgrading old fluorescent tubes with the latest and best 8 foot LED light tubes.
Why Natural Light Is Important
CDM2 Lightworks, a leader in commercial lighting based out of Vancouver, Canada, found that windows and natural light were the biggest and most important factors involved in employees being satisfied with their workplace. This basically comes down to, it seems, the way lighting can affect the body indirectly and directly.
Indirectly, lighting can have an affect on our hormonal balance, behaviour and mood. Directly, it simply has an affect on what we can see and how well we can see. There is a lot of evidence and working examples where natural lighting has been utilized and businesses have reported less illnesses, absences and motivation issues among their workers. Their staff are happier and therefore more productive.
How Proper and Adequate Lighting Affects Productivity
As we have seen, poor lighting and natural lighting both have effects on the productivity of a workforce, in good ways and bad. Some employers may still object to investing in better lighting for their workplace. However, when you look at the positives, it’s hard to see it as anything other than a smart investment.
Upgrading to LED light tubes is a great way to save money, as LEDs use much less energy and last longer. Because there is greater variety in the brightness and quality available, you can buy the right lights to improve your employees’ motivation and productivity.
In Conclusion
Ultimately, lighting is far more important than you may have treated it in the past. We hope from the article above that you now see the importance of making smart choices when it comes to lighting. Not just any old lighting will do, especially if you know your business could be performing better than it currently is.
By switching out the old for the new, by even renovating your offices or by just simply making better use of the available natural light sources, you could improve how your workers feel. Remember, a happy and motivated workforce is also a hard-working and loyal workforce, in which they will do all they can to help your business be successful.
