Lighting in an office can make or break the space. No matter how well designed the interior of an office is, if it has poor lighting it won’t be functional for employees and may even negatively impact health and productivity. If you’re undergoing an office remodel, here are five reasons why lighting in your office is so important.
1. Health
The most important reason to get the lighting right in your office is the health of employees. Poor lighting has an impact on both physical and mental health by causing eye strain, headaches, neck pain, and even seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Contrastingly, bright, harsh light can lead to migraines and disruption to circadian rhythms.
In fact, employees who work near natural light – think large windows – are shown to get more high-quality sleep than those who worked under harsh lighting.
2. Productivity
Because light has such an impact on our circadian rhythms, it plays a vital role in productivity. Well-lit office spaces boost wakefulness which leads to increased productivity.
Back in 2011, Accident Fund Holdings Inc. installed individual light controls at employee desks and also flooded the office with natural light by installing large windows. They reported a boost in productivity and found employees were happier.
3. Mood
Bright offices with good lighting boost the mood of employees and it’s been shown this improves workplace satisfaction. Research has shown that harsh, fluorescent lighting makes people feel sluggish and unproductive which has a negative knock-on effect on emotional state.
No one wants to go work in a place that makes them feel tired or low mood, so it’s important to provide as much natural light as possible or well-planned lighting fixtures where this isn’t possible.
4. Health and Safety
Dimly lit hallways or stairwells are an accident waiting to happen. If there is a fire alarm, it’s vital that employees can exit the building safely, so good lighting is crucial.
What’s more, if your employees are involved in any type of manufacturing, precision work, design work, or similar, they’re going to need good lighting to carry out their roles safely.
This is a no-brainer, but an important point to keep in mind when designing your lighting. Any areas that require hands-on work may need additional spotlighting to enhance the space.
5. Atmosphere
Lighting can completely transform the atmosphere of an office. Bright lights in meeting rooms can help create an energetic, creative atmosphere, whereas dimmer lighting in break rooms can help promote relaxation and calmness.
When completing an office renovation, lighting is often forgotten during the design phase, but it’s a critical part of the process to help encourage the right atmosphere for both your employees and clients.
Maximise Your Office Space with a New Lighting Design
Whether you’re planning a complete office renovation or think your office could be improved with redesigned lighting, we can help. Our team will work with you to create a well-lit, functional space that employees and clients love to be in.
