A company is only as successful as its associates. Many organizations spend a lot of time and money to figure out how to make sure that their associates are as productive as possible. While it’s easy to overlook, there’s another associate productivity fact to consider: the lighting in your office!
Of course, some organizations take a different approach to productivity, and the best lighting might focus on specific values that they support. For example, a tech startup that emphasizes collaboration in a company culture might use different lighting than an organization where associates work intensively on their own for hours at a time.
How Lighting Affects Team Productivity
There is an obvious issue when it comes to dim lighting: it can cause unnecessary eye strain. It’s easy to see how your associates will have more trouble doing their work if they have issues SEEING the work.
Lighting can also be incredibly distracting. If you haven’t invested in office lighting and your light fixtures are flickering all over the office, it can end up being quite annoying and frustrating. Many associates will be bothered by this, and improving lighting is a surefire way to ensure that your associates are more comfortable and productive.
Seven Tips for Increasing Team Productivity With Lighting
The first tip to increase team productivity through lighting is simple: consider a smart control lighting system. You can install a daylight-sensing control to optimize your lighting, which can save you money while also helping your employees focus on the work at hand. You can end up reducing office lighting costs by as much as 60 percent.
The second tip requires some trust, but it can be significant: let your associates customize their own lighting. This would give them more autonomy, which can help them feel better about their role at your organization.
Thirdly, take advantage of natural light if you can. Your office might already enjoy a lot of natural light, and your lighting can then use it to their advantage. Natural light can do more than improve office lighting; it can improve employee wellness.
The fourth tip? The best lighting is comfortable lighting for associates, so focus on what makes your associates the most comfortable at work.
Fifth, make sure that your lighting is spaced correctly, so no area is over or under-lit.
You will also want to consider your decor and how it complements your lighting. Some lighting will only make sense with a certain kind of decor. Be conscious of this.
Lastly, consider cooler-temperature bulbs: studies have shown that they can increase employee productivity.
