The fluorescent lights overhead flicker, casting a harsh, cold light that makes you think of a hospital operating room instead of a dynamic hybrid workspace. It’s hardly the atmosphere to inspire creativity and productivity — and you decide that things need to change.
While it’s often overlooked, office lighting can affect everything from an employee’s mood and morale to their health and productivity. In fact, recent survey data suggests office lighting can have notable impacts on employee satisfaction, alertness, comfort, and safety.
Fortunately, we’re here to combat this issue, exploring the best office lighting as of 2023.
Quick Summary
Ready to learn how office lighting can increase productivity and give your hybrid employees a reason to come into the office?
Let’s begin.
In order to thrive and be productive in the workplace, employees need to be comfortable. The right office lighting can create an environment that’s more conducive to working.
Poorly designed workplaces can lead to a range of employee health complaints, which can negatively impact employee well-being and overall productivity. In fact, recent survey data cites lighting as a common trigger factor for migraine sufferers.
Poor lighting can create an unpleasant work environment and deter hybrid employees from leaving their comfortable home office setup to come into the office.
While standards for international lighting do exist, they’re not set in stone and function more as best practice recommendations than law.
To choose the best office light fixtures for your team, it’s still better to understand what good lighting is and the elements that you need to create the best outcome for your scenario.
Make sure to check out the following variables before you change your office lights:
Ever walked into a room and felt instantly alert and focused or relaxed and calm without really knowing why? Chances are the room’s lighting had a lot to do with it!
There are four different types of lighting you can use in your hybrid office. Direct light is ideal for precision work, as it casts a focused beam where it’s needed. Then there’s indirect light. Imagine the subtle glow of a room lit by a fireplace — soothing and relaxed.
Direct-indirect light is a combination of the first two; it’s your all-rounder, providing task lighting and softly diffused ambient light. Lastly, you could opt for shielded light, which offers glare-free, evenly distributed illumination.
The most comfortable office lighting is one that combines all four of these types.
Natural sunlight, with its balanced tones, offers warm lighting and supports a positive mood, productivity, and health by regulating circadian rhythms. Unfortunately, however, it isn’t always accessible — and when it is, it can cause computer glare.
Artificial light, on the other hand, can be quite a cool light. Thanks to smart technology, it’s adjustable in intensity and color and can now simulate natural light, boosting alertness and sociability.
Used strategically, especially in windowless workspaces, artificial becomes a healthful productivity tool. It’s best to use LED lights that are around 4000K/4500K and 1000–1500 lumens.
The best bulb type, color, and temperature for an office depend on the purpose of the space and the desired atmosphere. Here are four different bulb types and how they perform in an office setting:
Fluorescent bulbs: Often produce harsh lighting, can cause eye strain and headaches, and are typically used in commercial and industrial spaces.
LED bulbs: Can be used to mimic natural daylight, with a color temperature of around 4000K/4500K.
Incandescent bulbs: Can be too warm and yellow for an office environment.
Halogen light bulbs: Emit a bright, white light and can be too harsh for an office environment.
How bright is too bright for office lighting? When is lighting too poor?
OSHA standards recommend the amount of light in an office to be at least 300 lux for maximum effectiveness, productivity, and health.
With bulbs often running for over 14 hours a day, lighting consumes around 18% of electricity in buildings — making cost a major factor when considering the design of your office lighting.
Install motion sensors, timers, and dimmers to reduce cost and gain more control over your electricity consumption.
Here are some ways that computer placement can impact office lighting:
There’s a lot to consider when choosing the best lighting for offices — and sometimes, you might feel like you’re groping in the dark.
But remember, lighting is more than just fixtures and lumens. It’s about creating a workspace that allows your team to work safely, comfortably, and productively.
Of course, lighting isn’t all that impacts your team’s ability to perform. Beyond an ergonomic work environment, they also need the right processes and tools for effective hybrid workplace management..
OfficeRnD Hybrid is easy to set up and use, well-integrated, and reliable hybrid workplace management software. It’ll positively impact your workplace by, boosting collaboration, and allowing you to track and measure adoption, retention, and resource utilization in a cost-efficient way.
So if you’re ready to maximize your team’s productivity above and beyond office lighting, why not start for free with OfficeRnD Hybrid? No credit card, required, no strings attached.
For a typical office, the best type of lighting is a combination of widely dispersed light sources and direct task lighting. The brightness level should be at least 300 lux, and the color temperature between 3500K and 5500K — with 4000K being ideal.
The best office lighting for the eyes has a minimum brightness level of 300 lux and a color temperature of 3500K–5500K, and it includes a combination of ambient and direct lighting.
Both desk lamps and floor lamps can be effective for office lighting, and the choice between them depends on personal preference and the workplace’s specific needs.
The best LED light for office work offers a balance between brightness and comfort, typically falling within the 4000K to 5000K color temperature range. This ensures clear visibility without causing eye strain. Additionally, adjustable brightness settings and a high Color Rendering Index (CRI) are essential for accurate color perception and adaptability to various tasks.
Yes, LED lights are preferred for offices because they are energy-efficient, have a longer lifespan, and provide consistent, flicker-free illumination, reducing eye strain and fatigue during prolonged work.
For office spaces, a neutral white light in the 4000K to 5000K color temperature range is ideal. It promotes alertness, supports concentration, and offers accurate color representation, making it suitable for a productive work environment.
For a dark office, it’s essential to choose a bright LED light with a high-lumen output. Opting for a neutral to cool white color temperature (4000K to 5000K) can simulate daylight, enhancing visibility and focus. Additionally, consider layering with task lighting to address specific work areas and reduce shadows.
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