Natural light boosts productivity in offices
The link between workplace productivity and natural light is profound - and can impact far more than how many emails an employee sends in one day. In fact, natural light influences a worker’s sleep, energy levels and quality of life. Natural light affects everything from mood, behavior and even hormones.
The point is that lighting really does impact how much an employee can accomplish in a day - as well as their overall satisfaction at work and at home.
Productivity equals profitability.
When a business isn’t productive, odds are it’s reflected in the balance sheet. Light is a key component of vision. If the lighting is too dim or too harsh, employees are not going to be maximizing their potential. True, in some cases the use of artificial lighting is unavoidable. If that’s the case, then consult an expert about how best to arrange your office space. Fluorescent lighting tends to be a culprit, but even that can be offset by paint colors, fixture placement and office layout.
Poor lighting impacts behaviors outside of work as well.
In a recent study, researchers at the Interdepartmental Neuroscience program at Northwestern University in Chicago reported that workers without windows had reduced measures of sleep quality and efficiency and more sleep disturbances and daytime dysfunction. Those who did have windows received 173 percent more white light exposure and slept an average of 46 minutes more per night. If a worker isn’t sleeping well, odds are they aren’t being as effective as they could be during working hours.
The bright side
The good news is that it is increasingly more common for businesses to place offices on the interior of the workspace so that natural light can penetrate the whole workspace - giving all of the employees access to the much-needed vitamin-D. Using transparent or glass walls makes sure that even people sitting in private offices on the core of the space are still getting access to valuable natural light. This way everybody wins.
And the best part? Rightsize can provide the right furniture and space planning tools to help your business maximize natural light.
Contact us to speak with a representative.
