How lighting affects your mood at work Proper workplace lighting is critical to the overall well-being of a workforce. Whether employees are receiving too little light or too much artificial light, they are at high risk of serious long-term physical and mental harm. Luckily, many of these negatives can be eliminated with the simple inclusion of natural light or even a compact GE lamp. The following will help illustrate the many effects lighting can have on your mood within the office, and the best ways to solve the common issues. Low or under-lit environments are possibly one of the biggest detriments to one’s productivity at work. Though you may be unaware of its direct effects, over time, dim lighting can lead to eyestrain, headaches, and increased stress levels. In under-lit environments, your eyes are forced to work much harder to focus on objects or written materials, causing strenuous exercise on your eye muscles. This can be especially negative if you work from a computer most of the day, as your eyes are constantly forced to adjust between the brightness of the screen and the contrasting lighting of the surrounding room. Harsh lighting is much more commonly experienced within a workplace, but it can be just as harmful on one’s well-being. Also known to cause many of same the negative effects as lowlighting, bright artificial lights in the peripheral field of view may also create an uncomfortable glare. Similarly, light reflected on the computer screen can produce a glare, reducing the contrast and visibility of the on-screen material. Fluorescent lights are especially harmful to one’s eye health, as they are also commonly cited as a trigger for migraine headaches. The most practical solution to fighting a dim or harshly lit workspace is the presence of natural light. By directly affecting what and how well we are able to see, natural light indirectly changes our mood, behavior, and even hormonal balance. Natural lighting renovations have even been known to result in happier, healthier, more productive workers. With satisfied employees, you will also experience fewer illnesses throughout the office and, consequentially, a general decrease in employee absenteeism. By a simple inclusion of natural lighting in the workplace, a business will not only save energy costs but also increase their overall productivity among employees. Of course, not every workplace has the luxury of utilizing natural light, so in these scenarios one must attempt to make the best of their given situation. Installing GE lamps into poorly-lit workspaces can be a quick and cost-efficient decision, as LED lights have been proven to be the least harmful light fixture currently available. Studies have shown that individuals over the age of forty require more lighting, so LED lamps can also be used as personal workspace lights since they can be dimmed or brightened as desired by the user. As you can see, in an office environment, happy eyes lead to happy workers. Whether the workplace is too dimly lit or too harshly lit, employees are all but guaranteed to experience negative effects on their health, attitude, and productivity. Natural lighting is the simplest
solution to this issue and it has been proven to eliminate many of the aforementioned negatives. Unfortunately, many workplaces do not have the capability of introducing natural light, which is why selecting the proper artificial light source for the office is critical for the overall productivity of the workforce.
Company Bio: Telecom Electric Supply Company (TES) has been serving Texas and beyond since 1985. As one of the area’s largest minority-owned electrical supplier, TES has a vast customer base that includes businesses of all sizes, governments, municipalities, utilities, and various institutions. TES also serves as a critical link in the MRO supply chain for operations looking for stability, competitive pricing, and someone who will “go the extra mile” for their customers. Our commitment to service and exceeding our customers’ expectations is a priority for TES. If you’re looking for a long term partner that has your best interests in mind, we look forward to meeting with you and developing a plan to better satisfy your unique requirements.