The lighting in your office can have a huge effect on employee creativity and productivity. This can be intuitively experienced by simply spending some time in bright sunshine and seeing how it affects your energy levels and mood. Compare that to time spent in a dark, dreary basement and it’s easy to see how important light can be to a worker. So what is the best type of lighting for office productivity? In this article we’ll go over various options.
Natural Sunlight
Taking advantage of natural light has been found to help with circadian rhythms and hormone production. And while most people would prefer to work in an office with large windows that let in a lot of sunlight, it may not always be ideal. Most computer screens are obliterated by bright rays of sun. Having the ability to regulate brightness with blinds or curtains is often essential. If you have to pick and choose which areas have access to the most natural light, try to include common areas where human interaction is more likely than solitary computer use. It’ll have a greater effect on a greater number of people.
LED Lighting
LED lighting is becoming the standard from both an environmental and cost perspective. And it can also be much easier on the eyes and body rhythms than traditional fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lights include some of the ultraviolet spectrum which can affect the production of melatonin and sleeping patterns. If it’s possible to include dimmer switches with your LED lighting it will allow employees to choose the ideal intensity according to time of day.
Colour Temperature
Different colours of light are said to have different temperatures. Some are better suited for certain types of activities compared to others. Cooler light colours such as blue are known for increasing concentration and keeping people alert. These can be especially effective early in the morning or late in the afternoon. On the other hand, warmer parts of the light spectrum, such as reds, oranges and yellows will promote relaxation and calm. These temperatures of colour may be more suitable for the meeting room or reception area.
