Office Lighting: Why Proper Lighting Is Key to Productivity

The human body is not designed to sit indoors in front of a computer screen for hours on end. A body is meant to enjoy the benefits of outdoor light from the sun. Proper lighting is essential to productivity in the workplace, although proper lighting doesn't just mean using brighter light bulbs or flicking on more light switches. Office lighting is prehistoric in a lot of ways, and this article discusses how the kind of office lighting can play an integral role in the productivity levels of people working in an office setting.

Clear Vision and the Successful Completion of Projects

According to naturaleyecare.com, "over 100 million people in the United States today use computers" with 50 percent of those people experiencing some eyestrain, headache or other eye condition. With that many people in the office having troubled vision, it would only make sense that there are more errors and omissions in the work that's being done. Productivity is boosted by decreasing the amount of errors in work. In addition, by decreasing the likelihood that workers will end up with eyestrain, productivity will naturally flourish. In order to avoid eyestrain in the office, try taking breaks from the computer and finding other important tasks to do. Also, try exercising the eyes by looking back and forth, and by looking further than the computer screen. Another good idea is to trade traditional lighting with full-spectrum lighting, or use full-spectrum lamps by computers.

The Health Benefits of Full-Spectrum Lighting

Full-spectrum lighting offers some of the same benefits that the sunshine offers. A good full spectrum light is designed to replicate the same wavelengths of light that the sun emits, without containing the potentially harmful UVA and UVB of the actual sunshine. The initial expense from trading traditional office lighting for full spectrum lighting can be outweighed by the benefits of greater productivity over the long term. Studies done by leading scientists in the full spectrum light industry have shown that people can actually experience health benefits beyond that of less eyestrain. Full spectrum light has been shown to reduce stress and fatigue, improve vision, counteract the health concerns of computer monitors, discourage SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and regulate sleep cycles.

Less Necessity for Break-Time

When people do not have eyestrain, headaches, and fatigue from sitting under poor lighting all day, people feel less of a need to take a break from work. If their health is improved, workers will require less time off work for sick-leave as well. Poor office lighting leads to reduced productivity, and less productivity is something that every business owner understands well. If workers can be put into an environment that complements their bodies' natural rhythms, then workers are more likely to be healthy and happy in the workplace, and less likely to feel the need to take excessive breaks and sick-time away from the office. Investigating full spectrum lighting and how it can affect productivity at the office can be a worthwhile use of time for any business owner.