Important tips to avoid the effects of poor lighting in the office

Lighting is an integral part of all commercial spaces and offices are no exception. Modern workspaces have recognized the importance of the right illumination in an office space to make business more profitable and efficient. Ensuring the right levels of lighting is imperative to ensure the health and wellness of the driving forces of the company i.e. the employees. Thus, most workplaces prefer office LED lighting above all. They understand the importance of proper lighting requirements in the office and use hi-tech office lighting fixtures, such as - high-quality suspended lighting, surface-mounted lighting, recessed luminaires, etc.

Unfortunately, many offices still rely on traditional lighting solutions based on compact fluorescent lights or incandescent bulbs for meeting their lighting requirements. They end up with poor lighting conditions that do more harm to the business as well as the employees. In addition to same conventional lighting is less energy efficient hence leds to higher power wastage.

How does poor lighting affect the office environment?

Various researches confirm that lighting tends to influence human behaviours and mood. Poor lighting conditions compromises the good health and safety of the employees which eventually affects business growth in the long run. Here are some adverse effects of poor lighting in offices:

Physical discomforts

Poor lighting conditions make people prone to a variety of physical discomforts. For instance, it makes them vulnerable to eye problems like eye strains. Prolonged eye strain conditions hamper vision and may deteriorate its quality. Furthermore, poor lighting is one of the primary causes of headaches, migraines, and posture-related issues among employees.    

Lowered productivity levels

Physical discomfort induced by poor lighting conditions eventually lowers the productivity levels of the employees. Low levels of illumination can make them feel lazy, lethargic, and unmotivated towards work while over-illumination can lead to glare-related problems. Poor lighting hampers the concentration levels of the employees which eventually increase the risk of mistakes and errors.  

Moreover, poor lighting conditions also increase the risk of mishaps and accidents in an office space, especially in accident-prone areas like storage and staircases. Simply put, poor lighting is a safety and health hazard. But fortunately, this hazard can be prevented easily by getting a lighting retrofit and replacing all old lighting solutions with LED office light fixtures and following some simple tips. Here are some important tips that you should consider minimizing the effects of poor lighting in the office:

• In case the office space is leveraged with problems associated with low illuminations levels, it is better to increase the number of LED luminaires in the space. LEDs encourage energy efficiency so it serves more like an investment than an expense.
• Many-a-times, the wrong placement of furniture and workstation deters the illumination levels and lighting quality. Thus, try rearranging them as per a distinct lighting plan. 
• If your office is experiencing glare-related issues, then it is imperative to identify the source (luminaire) and change its position. You can also consider installing glare reduction glasses in your office space.
• Illumination levels are largely affected by the wall paint in the office spaces. Dark colour paints absorb light and lower the levels of illumination while light-coloured walls reflect light and make the space look brighter and more spacious. Thus, consider painting the walls with light-colour paints.
• Last but not the least, try to increase the amount of natural light in the office space. For instance, integrate big windows and mirrors to increase illumination naturally.

In case you're planning a lighting retrofit to eliminate poor lighting problems, you must decide on smart lighting solutions like Human Centric Lighting (HCL). Also, you should go for the modern office lighting ranges, like -Inform, Stylus, Axeon, etc. offered by brands like Wipro Lighting. These are new-age indoor lighting solutions that try to bring in the effect of sunlight through Insync technology and complement the health and wellness of people. It improves concentration, enhances safety, and boosts productivity to put all poor lighting problems at bay.