How Office Lighting Can Affect Workplace Productivity

Ready for a fact that will blow your mind — and make you understand just how much time you end up wasting over the course of a day?

A recent study discovered that the average employee only does about two hours and 53 minutes at the office over the course of an eight-hour workday.

Yes, you read that correctly.

And while certainly, high employee dissatisfaction could be to blame, you might be surprised to know that poor office lighting also has a serious impact on your overall productivity levels.

We know that’s something you want to take seriously.

What steps can you take to improve lighting in the workplace?

Keep on reading this post to find out.

The Best Office Lighting? The Sun

When you’re looking for the best lighting for offices when you want to boost not only productivity but also office morale as a whole?

It’s time to think of more ways that your team can soak up the sun and get access to natural lighting in your office.

You might not know it, but the body’s cortisol levels actually start to drop when exposed to too much artificial lighting. This increases the body’s ability to handle and manage stress, and it makes your team get tired much faster.

Natural lighting, from large bay windows and open office floor plans, can help to keep your employees happy while they’re at work.

Plus, if you don’t have enough lighting in your office, you can cause your employees to have to deal with severe eye strain. This can create headaches that can quickly become chronic — which certainly translates to lowered productivity levels.

When in doubt, let the sun come out in your office.

Reconsider Your Bulbs

We understand that it can be incredibly tempting to decorate your office with trendy, bright chandeliers and hanging single Edison bulbs.

But, in addition to making your workplace look like a wannabe hipster coffee shop, these bulbs don’t make for good office lighting when it comes to productivity. This is because it’s nearly impossible to control the level of glare that they produce.

Instead, look for daylight bulbs, which actually aim to recreate the feeling of natural lighting. If that’s not a possibility — or if you’ve already thought about a lighting redesign to let more natural light in — then look for options with a dimmer switch.

Anything that you can do to reduce the annoying overhead glare in your office will be a serious step up. Plus, believe it or not, the subtle din and buzzing sound of fluorescent lighting can make it nearly impossible for your employees to focus.

Instead, aim to purchase LED lights. In addition to being much better for the environment — and cost-effective — they also work to prevent that maddening din and humming.

Try Indirect Lighting

Letting in lots of natural light isn’t the only way that you can give your employees a boost.

You can also invest in indirect lighting, like small, individual desk lamps, to help to improve focus. These small lamps help to ensure that people are actually getting enough light, and reduce the amount of eye strain that often comes with staring at computer screens all day.

In our tech-obsessed world, this kind of relief is especially important when it comes to your employees’ overall health.

If you’re going to make indirect lighting a part of your office lighting plan, then it’s best to place them parallel to windows.

This position will help to reduce the levels of glare, especially if your employees have things like computers and tablets that give off blue light on their desks.

Invest in Some Blinds

Are you looking for office lighting tips that are the perfect combination of form and function?

If so, then it’s time to consider investing in some blinds for your office.

The good news?

You don’t have to spend a lot in order to get the blinds of your dreams.

Budget Blinds in Bothell provides you with countless style, brand, and color options so that you can select the right look for your office — and your price point.

You can choose from wooden blinds, vinyl blinds, motorized options, and even fabric blinds to really elevate your office’s decor.

Blinds also allow you to easily control the level of sunlight that you let into your office. So, the next time that you suspect your employees are about to enter into a serious slump, head over to your blinds and let a little natural light in.

You’ll likely be surprised by just how much a little change in workplace lighting can perk up your employees!

Improve your Office Lighting with These Tips

No matter what your office looks like or how many people work on your team, we know that you’re always looking for ways to improve your office decor and boost your team’s productivity levels in the process.

We hope that this post has proved to you that finding the right office lighting isn’t rocket science. Instead, it’s all about letting in as much natural light as is possible.

It’s also about finding accent lighting and bulb types that will reduce glare and prevent a distracting, humming din that makes it tough to focus.

Of course, good office lighting isn’t the only way to make sure everyone is working their hardest — and is happy while doing it.

Spend some time on our website and blog to get access to even more tips on how to make your workplace the very best it can be!