Without realizing it, lighting can be one of the most essential factors in a work environment impacting worker efficiency. Knowing how lighting can impact productivity can aid your employees in their work and help your company as a result of the improved working conditions. Something that does not require extra training or expensive renovations can drastically increase productivity, focus, and energy among your employees.
How Do Lights Affect Work Environments?
Invariably, you will need to use artificial lighting within your company building, whether it is a retail store or an office building. Because of how inexpensive and how common they are, incandescent lights or fluorescent bulbs are commonly used to light work areas. While these bulbs seem like the best option because of their accessibility, they can negatively affect work performance.
Eye Strain
Fluorescent lights and incandescent bulbs can cause several different effects that can hinder the progress of employees. The first is that the quality of light they can give off may cause workers to experience migraines. This is especially prevalent in office areas where workers look at computers all day. Poor light quality can strain the eyes, making the eyes themselves tired and causing headaches.
Heat Buildup
Heat is another concern when dealing with lights. Due to their design, incandescent bulbs generate a significant amount of heat to create light. This light shines directly upon the employees and customers, increasing the temperature of your business. This effect can be exacerbated by the number of workers near one another. That heat can be uncomfortable and distracting if not adequately managed by a climate control system.
Noise
While not the most detrimental aspect of older light bulbs, they do give off a low buzzing sound when they are activated. This can serve as a constant irritant that distracts workers as they are doing their jobs, interrupting their workflow, and serving as an extra layer of interference that must be overcome.
LED Lights as an Alternative
In recent years, LED lights have grown in popularity and accessibility, making them a viable alternative to older lights. They correct many of the problems that incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lights have; their advantages include:
- By design, LEDs do not generate as much heat.
- Their cool and even lighting do not cause headaches or eye strain.
- They do not emit noise when switched on.
Extra Benefits of LEDs
Beyond eliminating irritants and distractions, the light generated for LEDs, called the blue wavelength, can also increase alertness when people are exposed to it. This makes workers less sleepy and more active and aware while on the job, motivating further progress and productivity. In office environments where there is not much natural light, the installation of LED office panel lights can improve conditions immensely.
Worth the Price of Upgrading
While LED lights still cost slightly more than older bulbs, the advantages they offer more than make up for the cost of installation. LED lights can impact productivity positively by eliminating distractions and promoting higher energy levels among workers.
