Many of the pathways to boosting employee productivity require a significant investment of resources. Upgrading training and development programs, for example, can require licensing training platforms and pulling employees away from their work routines for training sessions.
Updating technology to provide more efficient and innovative tools is another possible step toward higher productivity that can be costly and interruptive.
One simple solution that requires a minimal investment and immediately produces results is improving office lighting. Harsh office lighting, lack of natural light, or too much light from windows can all have impacts on employees’ performance, moods, and productivity.
By optimizing lighting, businesses can remove obstacles to productivity and create environments where workers can thrive.
The Right Lighting Boosts Concentration
Optimal lighting has long been known to boost concentration and improve performance in classrooms. The right lighting can have the same impact in the workplace.
Poor lighting in warehouses or industrial settings can cast shadows that prevent employees from properly identifying components or locating supplies. In offices, poor lighting can make reading material or engaging with digital devices challenging. Both cases result in unnecessary distractions that break concentration and cause productivity to suffer.
By facilitating optimal levels of concentration on tasks, proper lighting can help employees enter into a flow state, which is sometimes referred to as being “in the zone.” Flow state describes situations in which employees are completely immersed in tasks. Studies have shown entering a flow state allows employees to boost productivity by as much as 500 percent.
Flow state also reduces the stress employees feel when engaging with projects. Stress has a major impact on productivity, with some studies showing it costs US companies more than $300 billion annually as a result of productivity losses.
The Right Lighting Boosts Efficiency
Workplace lighting is not one-size-fits-all. The best lighting varies based on the task. In areas where assembly work is being done, bright lights are needed to achieve maximum efficiency. In spaces where workers are utilizing computer screens, bright light can compromise efficiency by outcompeting screen brightness or causing glare.
In some cases, optimizing efficiency requires providing flexible lighting. Managers who must transition from screen work to meeting with teams, for example, will need to transition lighting settings to create optimal environments.
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed recommendations specifically focused on increasing the productivity of employees who use computer screens. OSHA advises businesses to adjust lighting to keep bright lights from shining on computer screens and washing out digital images.
Optimizing lighting for screen workers improves eye health, allows for greater concentration, and cuts down on user errors. The steps OSHA recommends include:
- Orienting workstations so rows of ceiling lights are parallel to the user’s line of sight.
- Utilizing light diffusers in ways that reduce the amount of light on computer screens without reducing light to other work areas.
- Lowering the intensity of workspace lighting to reduce competition with screen brightness.
- Supplementing room lighting with desk lighting that can be focused on desk work without casting light on computer screens.
The Right Lighting Boosts Moods
Anxiety in the workplace can have a major impact on productivity. Optimizing lighting in a way that boosts moods is an easy way to cut down on anxiety.
A recent study on emotional wellbeing among remote workers found the happiest workers were those who experienced the most natural light during the day. The enhanced moods those workers felt were influenced in large part by increased levels of serotonin, a hormone that affects wellbeing and happiness. Natural light triggers the release of serotonin.
LED lighting can be extremely effective at boosting employee moods because it can be tuned to mimic natural light. LEDs, unlike conventional lights, can emit a wide variety of colors, from warm reds and yellows to cool blues.
Office lighting that is adjusted throughout the day to track with the colors of the sun can give the body the feeling it is being exposed to natural light. This triggers the release of serotonin, boosting employees’ moods and facilitating higher levels of productivity.
Providing employees with a natural light cycle also allows them to experience the healthy circadian rhythms sunlight plays a role in regulating. The rhythms, which are also known as the “body clock,” contribute to the proper functioning of the human body’s metabolism, which helps to optimize energy levels. Lighting that fosters optimal energy drives enhanced levels of focus, alertness, and productivity.
The Right Lighting Frees Up Resources
Advances in lighting technology have made office lighting more effective and more affordable. LED lights, for example, dramatically cut back on energy costs while also lasting much longer than conventional bulbs. LEDs also put off less heat than conventional bulbs, which means office cooling costs drop as businesses shift to LED technology.
Consequently, using LEDs to empower new lighting strategies also frees up financial resources for other productivity initiatives. The money businesses save by utilizing more efficient lighting technology can be used to upgrade software tools, hire new talent, or improve the benefits provided to employees, all of which can boost productivity.
Understanding the role lighting plays in workplace productivity is important for any business. By shifting to more impactful lighting strategies, businesses can boost concentration, efficiency, and employee moods. The overall result is the creation of a workplace environment where employees are empowered to do their best work.
Dara Greaney is the Founder and CEO of LEDLightExpert.com, an e-commerce lighting retailer. Previously, Greaney was the CEO and Co-Founder at BuyAutoParts.com, an e-commerce auto parts retailer. He is a nine-time INC 5000 CEO and is an expert in growing products and brands that resonate with customers. Greaney is a hands-on leader with LED expertise in lighting design and lighting products as well as over 20 years of e-commerce, business strategy, and marketing experience. With Greaney as CEO, LED Light Expert has been a 3 time INC5000 winner. Under Greaney’s leadership, BuyAutoParts.com was named to the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies List in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Greaney has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Marketing and Finance and a Master’s degree in Business Marketing and Entrepreneurship. He has been featured on Union-Tribune TV, Business Insider, Parts and People, San Diego Business Journal, MarketWatch, UT San Diego, Energy Markets Today, and Sportz Biz. Greaney has also spoken at the ROI Revolution Retail Traffic & Conversion Summit, the Lavin Center, and more.