Workplace Lighting: Best Practices for Office Lighting Design
Reading Time: 5 minutes Having in mind that your employees spend seven to ten hours daily in the workplace, which for some is more than they spend at home, you need to provide them with optimal working conditions. You would need ergonomic chairs to support their back with their predominantly sedentary work life, suitable working equipment while a team-building event can strengthen their bonds and improve collaboration between teams.
Another element that contributes to employees having proper working conditions is the lighting. Dim rooms are not the best option for work because they make us drowsy and less productive, while bright spaces prompt our efficiency and keep us awake. However, choosing just the right lighting design for the workspace might be challenging for somebody with no experience, so here are a few tips to keep in mind during your decision-making process.
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Study the office layout
Before you set your eyes on the perfect lighting design for your office space, you need to take into account the office layout. If you are just setting up the office or moving to a new space, you need to take into account the number of employees, the purpose of each room and especially the exact positioning of the employees’ work stations.
Knowing the details of the layout in advance will prevent any mistakes since badly positioned lightning could have a negative effect on the employees’ productivity. In this manner, you will make sure that each employee will have optimal working conditions that are essential for his health, as well as efficiency.
Ceiling lighting is the key
The crucial source of light is the ceiling lighting and it should be well distributed and in abundance. The reason for paying that much attention to the overhead lights is that their glare and bad positioning can cause health issues. Eye soreness and blurred vision are just some of the potential symptoms which can all reflect on the completion of daily tasks.
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Another detail to keep in mind is that it is recommendable that lights are not directly over employee’s desks because direct bright lights can create glare and distract them from their work. Of course, it might not be possible to achieve this over every desk but with smaller light sources, you can create optimal light conditions.
Find energy-efficient solutions
When choosing the best possible option for your workplace lightening, among other aspects, you need to also be practical about this office light project. For instance, you need to think in terms of its duration because it influences the date when your business becomes operational.
Energy-efficiency is also a vital topic so when choosing light experts, make sure you talk with them about their eco-friendly products among other requests. For instance, solutions like BUCK lighting luminaires ensure that offices get more lighting for less energy but not at the expense of its longevity or modern design. Also, LED light sources don’t have any toxic elements and have a longer lifespan than traditional sources.
Opt for dimmer lights for sitting areas
Different rooms in your office space should have different lighting. While bright lights are more than necessary for maintaining wakefulness and boosting performance, such light will be unpleasant in other rooms. When the employees go to the cafeteria, they need to rest their eyes and to compose their thoughts so that they can return to their tasks refreshed.
Bright lights will not provide them with an opportunity to rest and relax with their co-workers, while dimmer yellow-white ones will create a more relaxing atmosphere. The purpose of the cafeteria is for the employees to recharge so, besides comfortable furniture, you would also need adequate lighting.
Keep the table lamps
One thing is certain, you cannot please everyone. Some employees will have an issue with the temperature levels, some will want less light, while others more. When it comes to the temperature, they can always work in short sleeves or wear an extra layer of clothing but if the overhead light is not enough for them, that could affect their task performance and motivation.
To prevent this, you need to keep a number of table lamps because chances are that there will be at least one (if the staff is smaller) or many more employees (if the crew is larger) that would need additional light. Look for those that are adjustable so the employees can direct the light as they wish and also, try to match them with the rest of the lighting design.
Tend to outdoor lighting
Although indoor lighting should be your biggest concern, external lights are also an essential topic for any reputable business. If your employees arrive early in the morning or leave late in the evening, you have to make sure that you did everything in their power to ensure their safety.
This means that you will tend that the parking is properly lit, as well as the entrance and the exit in the office space. Also, there are smart solutions with sensors that increase energy efficiency in external lights and that gather trackable data making the building and your employees feel safer.
From dim to bright and from overhead light to table lamps – the choice of products is vast and it can be confusing for someone who hasn’t given lighting much thought earlier. Choosing a lighting design for your office is not the same as choosing one for your home so after you determine the office layout, it would be wise to consult with the lighting experts. B
ased on your needs, they can recommend the optimal solution for the overhead lighting as well as suggest additional light sources, such as table lamps in case some employees might need them. Since your employees need space to recharge, you can also ask for advice on the proper illumination for such rooms. Let your employees’ needs, energy-efficiency, and rationality be your guides in this decision-making process.
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