Good lighting increases productivity
Is there a way to increase employee productivity? The solution may be to change your lighting system.
It is obvious that having a good lighting system brings savings on energy cost. However, improving your lighting system brings many of other benefits. It is the starting point for improving workplace safety and increasing employee productivity. This is why it is an investment that will definitely benefit your bottom line.
Lighting in the workplace is far more important than you think, with direct correlation between light levels and performance in workplace. Brighter light can have a positive impact on employees in many different types of working environment. It is no secret that light affects people in multitude of ways. If there is not enough light on work surface, eye strain becomes a problem and less work gets done.
Reports from U.S. National Library of Medicine1 reveal the benefits of lighting in the American commercial, retail and industrial workplace.
- Improve Visibility
- Improve Safety
- Better Concentration
- Better Health
- Better Morale
- Positive Impact on Mental Health
- Increase Alertness
- Reduce Daytime Sleepiness
- Improve Vitality
- Help Prevents Fatigue
Many studies confirmed that good light distribution, color selection and luminance level can improve productivity by over 19%. According to Lighting Design Lab in Seattle2 while 50% reduction in lighting costs using energy efficient lighting can have positive impact on the bottom line, just 1% increase in productivity can dramatically improve profitability.
On the other hand poor lighting increases the likelihood of accidents in the workspace, reduces workers concentration and performance. Things like glare and flicker compromises worker effectiveness.
Measure light
How do you know if you have the right light for your facility?
Measuring “the light” is a standard part of technical audit performed by companies specializing in lighting solutions. Usually it is free of charge and verifies if it complies with standards34. The best way to improve lighting is to work with specialized companies that can advise on professional solution. Strategic lighting can and will have more power over the workplace in years to come and the most innovative companies will benefit from these insights. It is a simple change that saves costs and improves the quality of work to everyone’s benefit as lighting technology standards move forward companies can afford to elevate workplace luminance quality. Lighting retrofit should include two objectives reduce total lighting system costs and improve the quality of light so the workspace is more comfortable.
If you haven’t upgraded the lighting at your business in recent years, there is a huge opportunity to make a simple improvement that will have a big impact.
- Mills, P.R., Tomkins, S.C. & Schlangen, L.J., (2007) “The effect of high correlated color temperature office lighting on employee wellbeing and work performance” Journal of Circadian Rhythms
- https://www.lightingdesignlab.com/resources/articles/articles-lighting-productivity/lighting-productivity
- European Standard EN 12464-1 Light and lighting - Lighting of work places
- NORMA Oficial Mexicana NOM-025-STPS-2008, Condiciones de iluminación en los centros de trabajo.
