How Lighting Affects Workplace Performance –

Obviously there’s much more to selecting lighting for a workplace than picking a fixture that is aesthetically pleasing, sufficiently illuminating, and energy efficiency. Designing a workspace with the “right” lighting can deliver the optimal place for employees to think, create, collaborate and maintain optimal productivity.

In other words, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution to lighting in the workplace. In this article we discuss three examples of lighting considerations that can help an employer provide lighting that is the most conducive to a productive workplace environment.

Install Individual Lighting Controls

Studies have proven that giving employees a degree of control over their environment – whether it be lighting or temperature – helps people feel better about their job and therefore become more productive.

Installing lighting controls for individual offices, workstations or work areas allows employees to create the atmosphere that they need to be productive at work. This involves more than just “on-and-off” switches, and contemplates dimming or brightening controls, and in some cases even directional control of lighting.

Daylight Enhances Performance

Architectural elements that allow sunlight into a room not only dramatically decrease the energy consumption, but also improve productivity. Recent research conducted by the World Green Building Council discovered that workers who are exposed to daylight are actually 18 percent more productive.

This is because daylight helps regulate employees’ circadian rhythms. When circadian rhythms (humans’ “internal clocks”) are “off”, people experience stress that negatively impacts productivity – but a building that incorporates daylight can actually improve performance and productivity.

Further, installing soft indirect lighting to can serve to blur the distinction between interior workspace and outside perimeter space – further improving the work environment and bolstering productivity.

Cool Versus Warm Lighting

Traditional bulbs (illuminated by electricity passing through a wire) gave a warm, yellowy light – the color of which could not be varied. However, with the advent of LED lighting, you can choose the color of light you want.

In the workplace, the two most common color options are warm white and cool white. Warm white and cool white are measured on a kelvin scale with warm white lighting around 2000k to 4000k and cool white lighting around 5000k to 7000k.

Warm white lighting has a very yellow and even orangey tone to it – similar to traditional incandescent bulbs. It is best used in areas where an employer wishes to keep people relaxed. Break-rooms, restrooms, libraries, hotel rooms, lobbies, psychiatrists’ offices, etc. are ideal locations for

Cool White Lighting is a very bright, clean, “blue-white” light – more similar in color to natural daylight.  This approximation of sunlight creates an environment that keeps workers alert. Cool white lighting can improve concentration and enhance employee productivity.

Mid-white lighting – between 4000k and 5000k also has its specific usages. This color of lighting is ideal for conference rooms and client meeting areas, where it is warm enough to be welcoming but cool enough to still promote alertness and productivity.

Detroit’s Leading Commercial Lighting Supplier

If you are an electrical contractor with questions about the best lighting options for a particular space, call the lighting experts at Team Electrical Sales. We have the experience, the inventory and the low prices you need to help you make the best lighting choices for your unique project.