Lighting Tips for Work Productivity

An international architectural firm conducted a study in America about environmental factors in the workplace and lighting tips for work productivity. These include spatial layout, lighting and décor – all of which can have a positive or negative impact on productivity levels.

Improper lighting can lead to headaches, eye strain, and neck problems as a result of fatigue, itching/burning eyes, double vision, nausea and craning. In turn, these symptoms create an unhealthy work environment and lead to low employee morale.

The symptoms are most commonly caused by the following:

  1. Over-lit offices and an excessive amount of background lighting on computer monitors
  2. Using standard fluorescent overhead lights

Excessively bright lights compete with the radiance of computer monitors. Although only 25% of people are sensitive to the flickering effects of fluorescent lighting, the blue-hued, jarring brightness that emanates from the tubes can cause extreme nausea and headaches for those who are affected.

The solution is relatively simple. A workplace with natural lighting makes for a perfect environment; however, the level of natural brightness must be controlled because too much sunlight causes glare on computer monitors and reduces visibility.

To achieve illumination that doesn’t pose health risks to workers, layered lighting is best. It combines warm task lighting with natural light at different angles and in different intensities. An ideal office environment would therefore look something like this:

lighting in Asheville NC

If you would like to have the lighting in your workplace professionally assessed, contact us at HAYNES Electric Construction. We serve all of Asheville, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson and Madison Counties.