Table of Contents
According to a study on lighting, well-being, and performance at work, lighting is one of several factors that combine to create a healthy work environment for employees that in turn affects employee performance and productivity.
The type of light that the employees are exposed to has a direct impact on mood, circadian rhythms, and physical health.
Depending on the nature of the work, many employers use different lighting techniques to make the work environment more productive and comfortable.
Fluorescent tubes have been the lighting of choice in many offices around the UK as they can light large areas and are cheap to buy and install.
However, they aren’t the ideal choice for offices since fluorescents aren’t as energy-efficient and durable, and produce a buzzing sound – something that greatly affects concentration.
LED lights are a popular alternative to fluorescent office lighting since they conserve more energy, are environment-friendly, more cost-effective, and are known to have a positive effect on employee productivity.
Read on to find out what LED lights are, how they can benefit offices and workplaces, and how to choose the best ones for your office to maximise employee productivity:
Studies have shown that proper lighting has a direct influence on employee mood, perception, and performance, and is crucial for workplace productivity.
Inadequate and improper lighting isn’t just a safety hazard but can also cause headaches, eye strain, and fatigue, leading to mistakes, poor quality of work, and low productivity.
By opting for LED office lighting that mimics natural light and has a higher CRI (Colour Rendering Index), office employers all over the world are improving productivity among their employees and creating a healthier work environment.
LED office lighting also helps regulate circadian rhythms which are an internal bodily process regulating our sleep-wake cycle. They play a huge role in employee productivity and health, and modern LEDs are designed keeping that in mind.
LED technology has developed rapidly in recent years with LED bulbs being hailed as the future of both home and office lighting.
What is LED lighting? LED stands for Light Emitting Diode and is what is called solid-state lighting technology, or SSL, that emits light when current passes through a solid piece of matter, and in the case of a traditional LED, a semiconductor.
When electricity is passed through the semiconductor, which is made up of a positively and negatively charged component, it activates the flow of electrons from the negative to the positive layer, creating light in the process.
LED lighting products are known to boost employee mood and productivity. However, these are not their only benefits.
Let’s look at all the benefits of LED office lighting and how they don’t just improve productivity but also help employers save money and contribute towards a greener environment:
LED lights are much more energy-efficient than their predecessors – incandescent, halogen, and CFLs – using about 70% less energy.
They result in substantial savings in the long-run and are ideal for offices and workplaces where lighting is required round-the-clock.
Their energy-efficiency is a major reason why business owners and employers are using LED lighting and switching from existing less-efficient installations.
Quality LEDs have an expected lifespan of around 50,000 to 60,000 hours compared to fluorescent lamps lasting about 8,000 to 10,000 hours and typical incandescent lights lasting only about 1,000 hours.
A longer lifespan means they would not need to be frequently replaced, eliminating the unnecessary overhead maintenance costs of keeping the office well lit.
Since LED bulbs do not use a heated filament to produce light like their less efficient counterparts, they have a low operating temperature that not only keeps the bulb from heating up but also influences the temperature in the office.
LED bulbs convert 95% of the total energy into light and the remaining 5% into heat. With fluorescent lighting, most of the energy is converted into heat making them reach a temperature of about 179.2 F compared to an LEDs 87.2 F.
Why do bugs get attracted to light bulbs? It’s not the light that attracts them but the heat that comes out of them. Imagine having to deal with bugs and insects flying around in your office while you work!
Since LED lights emit very little heat from their lighting source, they don’t appear attractive to moths and bugs, as compared to old incandescent lights that are practically bug magnets due to the amount of heat and UV rays they dispense.
At a time when environmental responsibility is on top priority the world over, LEDs provide an environment-friendly alternative for offices due to their reduced carbon footprint.
Since LEDs use less energy, it reduces power demand from the national grid resulting in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
If you replace a single 60-watt bulb with an LED, you can achieve a reduction of approximately 160kg of CO2 emissions every year. Replacing 10 traditional bulbs in the office with LED lights would result in a reduction of 1599kg CO2 emissions every year!
Incandescent light bulbs produce a buzzing noise during power surges or fluctuations which may not be very ideal in an office setting since it may cause disruptions in the employees’ concentration and workflow.
LED lights do not produce any noise, regardless of the power flow or how old the lights are, and provide a comfortable noiseless working environment for the employees in addition to providing adequate lighting.
LEDs are sturdy lighting devices made from a solid semiconductor rather than a filament, gas, or glass. There is a tiny microchip element enclosed inside the plastic material that makes them stronger and more resistant to breaking.
Also, since there is little or no use of glass, there is a reduced risk of someone stepping on a stray shard and getting injured.
LED lights are sturdy making them resistant to easily breaking, they give away less heat reducing the risk of burns and fires, they have no mercury making them extremely safe to dispose of, and the UV rays produced by them are negligible.
All these factors make LED lights a popular choice among office employers who prioritise employee health and safety, as it should be.
LED bulbs are extremely versatile and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be used for general lighting as well as task and accent lighting, while also imitating the look and feel of a traditional light bulb when need be.
They can be manufactured according to any specification and their compact design allows them to be easily installed in any corner of the office without having to make any major changes to the surroundings.
LED lights are highly adaptable and ideal for operating in both high and low temperatures. Unlike fluorescent lamps, LED lights do not produce dim lighting in cold temperatures and deliver a superior lighting experience.
Also, LED lights do not require warm-up time and provide instant illumination the second they are turned on. They don’t just reduce wastage of time but are also an ideal option when installing lights for security purposes.
In addition to that, unlike traditional incandescent bulbs, LED lights can work on a low voltage allowing offices to always stay well-lit despite the power supply situation.
Smart lighting with its amazing features such as scheduling, dimming, and wireless control, is popular in not just office settings but also with homeowners across the country.
It gives the ability to remotely control the office lighting and influence the atmosphere by adjusting the brightness of LED bulbs, and in doing that, it eases the burden of office administration.
Although all offices differ in their design, layout, and type of work being carried out, there are a few common things that all office owners must consider when choosing the appropriate LED lighting for maximising productivity:
When it comes to choosing the best LED office lighting, the style and size of the bulbs must be the first things to consider.
If you pick the wrong lights, not only will you face its negative effects on employee productivity but also won’t be able to reap the many other benefits of LED lights such as efficiency and cost-savings.
If you pick a very small, dim light for a large area, it might not be enough to adequately illuminate it, whereas if you pick a very bright light for a small area, it might make it uncomfortable for employees to work in there. In both situations, it would cause unnecessary strain and stress, reducing employee productivity.
The size of the bulbs will depend on the size of your office and the type of work being carried out. If you have a small space, you may consider using small-sized bulbs with a lower intensity, and if your office is large, it would be best to opt for high-intensity relatively larger bulbs.
You must also maintain balance by ensuring all the lights in the general office area have the same temperature all through. However, you may go for different sizes, brightness, and ambient temperatures for the office lobby, break room, and corridors.
To get a better idea about the brightness of the LED light, you may refer to its lumen value. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter the light is produced. To get a rough idea, 1500 to 3000 lumens might be required for an average-sized room, whereas 400 lumens would be suitable for a table lamp.
The colour of a light is measured in Kelvins and is a huge deciding factor when choosing the right LED bulb for your office.
The colour of the light is determined by its temperature on the Kelvin scale ranging from 2000K-6500K, with lower numbers meaning a warmer light and higher numbers meaning a cooler one.
For offices, anything below 3500K is too warm and anything above 5500K is too blue. Therefore, the sweet spot for the best LED office lighting lies somewhere between 3500K and 5500K.
Light therapy studies have revealed that a higher colour temperature, also referred to as blue light, triggers the release of serotonin which affects the energy levels and increases productivity while promoting a positive work environment.
On the other hand, lower colour temperatures, also referred to as warm light similar to the red light that occurs naturally at the end of the day, triggers the release of melatonin which causes one to relax, unwind, and become sleepy.
Considering the effects of lighting temperature on mood, it is best to opt for natural white and cold white LED lights for the working areas of the office while opting for warmer lights for the break rooms to help the employees relax.
Three types of lighting styles can be used to illuminate an office space. They are general lights, task lights, and accent lights.
General lighting provides satisfactory minimal lighting levels in rooms that allow some flexibility with the help of dimmers to raise or lower the general lighting conditions.
Task lighting is needed for specific activities such as reading or working and must be carefully selected and correctly positioned.
Accent lighting contributes to the ambience of the area to emphasise furniture, ornaments, and architectural features.
For an office space, general overhead lighting must be supplemented with task lighting bulbs that have a low glare to help employees focus on their work.
Keeping common computer ergonomics in mind, the lights must be placed away from the computer screen to reduce lighting effects and glare.
Instead of using direct lighting, which may cause eye complications, headaches, and stress, all of which lead to lower productivity, office owners must use indirect lighting.
The spacing of the lights is also an important factor. You must distribute them evenly around the office instead of installing them all in one place so that every corner is well lit.
Natural light, aka sunlight, is the best and most affordable supplementary office lighting that not just boosts employee productivity and morale but has several other health benefits as well.
If you’re feeling fatigued during the day, try taking a walk outside in the sun and see how quickly you feel your mood and spirits uplifting.
Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D which isn’t just great for your bone health but also extremely beneficial in removing mood swings and depression that may cause low productivity at work.
Natural light plays an important role when choosing the best lighting option for your office. You must aim to combine natural and artificial LED lighting to create the perfect work environment, in which case you must opt for warm coloured and low-wattage task lights to enhance the clarity of your workspace.
For offices that don’t have access to natural light, it is advisable to look for LED lights that mimic natural sunlight, i.e., higher up the Kelvin Scale.
Office lighting has a direct effect on employee performance and productivity making it an important aspect when designing an efficient workspace.
Efficient office lighting not just boosts mood and morale but is also a great way to reduce your energy consumption to save money on your bills and reduce your carbon footprint.
We, at Calder Electrical, provide an easy and effective way of achieving all this by both upgrading to and installing new LED lighting in your homes and offices.
We can offer fittings with 3 to 5+ year warranties that will not only reduce energy costs but also make your offices brighter. We can also provide a forecasted energy calculation so you can see what your energy bills and savings will look like.
We can survey your office space and create a lighting design to see if we can not only reduce the number of light fittings but also make the area reach a lighting level suitable for use.
We can also incorporate motion detectors so that lighting in areas that are low usage is only switched on when someone enters them.
We can give you an energy calculation to show your current lighting costs and the estimated costs by upgrading to LED lighting so that you can see how much you will save, normally aiming for a 40% saving.
If you are undertaking a new installation, we can help you create a lighting design suitable for the office layout and intended usage.
We provide a high and efficient level of LED installation services guaranteed to meet the current wiring regulations BS7671.
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 to talk to our LED lighting experts right away!
Photo by Israel Andrade on Unsplash
According to a study on lighting, well-being, and performance at work, lighting is one of several factors that combine to create a healthy work environment for employees that in turn affects employee performance and productivity.
The type of light that the employees are exposed to has a direct impact on mood, circadian rhythms, and physical health.
Depending on the nature of the work, many employers use different lighting techniques to make the work environment more productive and comfortable.
Fluorescent tubes have been the lighting of choice in many offices around the UK as they can light large areas and are cheap to buy and install.
However, they aren’t the ideal choice for offices since fluorescents aren’t as energy-efficient and durable, and produce a buzzing sound – something that greatly affects concentration.
LED lights are a popular alternative to fluorescent office lighting since they conserve more energy, are environment-friendly, more cost-effective, and are known to have a positive effect on employee productivity.
Read on to find out what LED lights are, how they can benefit offices and workplaces, and how to choose the best ones for your office to maximise employee productivity:
Studies have shown that proper lighting has a direct influence on employee mood, perception, and performance, and is crucial for workplace productivity.
Inadequate and improper lighting isn’t just a safety hazard but can also cause headaches, eye strain, and fatigue, leading to mistakes, poor quality of work, and low productivity.
By opting for LED office lighting that mimics natural light and has a higher CRI (Colour Rendering Index), office employers all over the world are improving productivity among their employees and creating a healthier work environment.
LED office lighting also helps regulate circadian rhythms which are an internal bodily process regulating our sleep-wake cycle. They play a huge role in employee productivity and health, and modern LEDs are designed keeping that in mind.
LED technology has developed rapidly in recent years with LED bulbs being hailed as the future of both home and office lighting.
What is LED lighting? LED stands for Light Emitting Diode and is what is called solid-state lighting technology, or SSL, that emits light when current passes through a solid piece of matter, and in the case of a traditional LED, a semiconductor.
When electricity is passed through the semiconductor, which is made up of a positively and negatively charged component, it activates the flow of electrons from the negative to the positive layer, creating light in the process.
LED lighting products are known to boost employee mood and productivity. However, these are not their only benefits.
Let’s look at all the benefits of LED office lighting and how they don’t just improve productivity but also help employers save money and contribute towards a greener environment:
LED lights are much more energy-efficient than their predecessors – incandescent, halogen, and CFLs – using about 70% less energy.
They result in substantial savings in the long-run and are ideal for offices and workplaces where lighting is required round-the-clock.
Their energy-efficiency is a major reason why business owners and employers are using LED lighting and switching from existing less-efficient installations.
Quality LEDs have an expected lifespan of around 50,000 to 60,000 hours compared to fluorescent lamps lasting about 8,000 to 10,000 hours and typical incandescent lights lasting only about 1,000 hours.
A longer lifespan means they would not need to be frequently replaced, eliminating the unnecessary overhead maintenance costs of keeping the office well lit.
Since LED bulbs do not use a heated filament to produce light like their less efficient counterparts, they have a low operating temperature that not only keeps the bulb from heating up but also influences the temperature in the office.
LED bulbs convert 95% of the total energy into light and the remaining 5% into heat. With fluorescent lighting, most of the energy is converted into heat making them reach a temperature of about 179.2 F compared to an LEDs 87.2 F.
Why do bugs get attracted to light bulbs? It’s not the light that attracts them but the heat that comes out of them. Imagine having to deal with bugs and insects flying around in your office while you work!
Since LED lights emit very little heat from their lighting source, they don’t appear attractive to moths and bugs, as compared to old incandescent lights that are practically bug magnets due to the amount of heat and UV rays they dispense.
At a time when environmental responsibility is on top priority the world over, LEDs provide an environment-friendly alternative for offices due to their reduced carbon footprint.
Since LEDs use less energy, it reduces power demand from the national grid resulting in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
If you replace a single 60-watt bulb with an LED, you can achieve a reduction of approximately 160kg of CO2 emissions every year. Replacing 10 traditional bulbs in the office with LED lights would result in a reduction of 1599kg CO2 emissions every year!
Incandescent light bulbs produce a buzzing noise during power surges or fluctuations which may not be very ideal in an office setting since it may cause disruptions in the employees’ concentration and workflow.
LED lights do not produce any noise, regardless of the power flow or how old the lights are, and provide a comfortable noiseless working environment for the employees in addition to providing adequate lighting.
LEDs are sturdy lighting devices made from a solid semiconductor rather than a filament, gas, or glass. There is a tiny microchip element enclosed inside the plastic material that makes them stronger and more resistant to breaking.
Also, since there is little or no use of glass, there is a reduced risk of someone stepping on a stray shard and getting injured.
LED lights are sturdy making them resistant to easily breaking, they give away less heat reducing the risk of burns and fires, they have no mercury making them extremely safe to dispose of, and the UV rays produced by them are negligible.
All these factors make LED lights a popular choice among office employers who prioritise employee health and safety, as it should be.
LED bulbs are extremely versatile and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be used for general lighting as well as task and accent lighting, while also imitating the look and feel of a traditional light bulb when need be.
They can be manufactured according to any specification and their compact design allows them to be easily installed in any corner of the office without having to make any major changes to the surroundings.
LED lights are highly adaptable and ideal for operating in both high and low temperatures. Unlike fluorescent lamps, LED lights do not produce dim lighting in cold temperatures and deliver a superior lighting experience.
Also, LED lights do not require warm-up time and provide instant illumination the second they are turned on. They don’t just reduce wastage of time but are also an ideal option when installing lights for security purposes.
In addition to that, unlike traditional incandescent bulbs, LED lights can work on a low voltage allowing offices to always stay well-lit despite the power supply situation.
Smart lighting with its amazing features such as scheduling, dimming, and wireless control, is popular in not just office settings but also with homeowners across the country.
It gives the ability to remotely control the office lighting and influence the atmosphere by adjusting the brightness of LED bulbs, and in doing that, it eases the burden of office administration.
Although all offices differ in their design, layout, and type of work being carried out, there are a few common things that all office owners must consider when choosing the appropriate LED lighting for maximising productivity:
When it comes to choosing the best LED office lighting, the style and size of the bulbs must be the first things to consider.
If you pick the wrong lights, not only will you face its negative effects on employee productivity but also won’t be able to reap the many other benefits of LED lights such as efficiency and cost-savings.
If you pick a very small, dim light for a large area, it might not be enough to adequately illuminate it, whereas if you pick a very bright light for a small area, it might make it uncomfortable for employees to work in there. In both situations, it would cause unnecessary strain and stress, reducing employee productivity.
The size of the bulbs will depend on the size of your office and the type of work being carried out. If you have a small space, you may consider using small-sized bulbs with a lower intensity, and if your office is large, it would be best to opt for high-intensity relatively larger bulbs.
You must also maintain balance by ensuring all the lights in the general office area have the same temperature all through. However, you may go for different sizes, brightness, and ambient temperatures for the office lobby, break room, and corridors.
To get a better idea about the brightness of the LED light, you may refer to its lumen value. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter the light is produced. To get a rough idea, 1500 to 3000 lumens might be required for an average-sized room, whereas 400 lumens would be suitable for a table lamp.
The colour of a light is measured in Kelvins and is a huge deciding factor when choosing the right LED bulb for your office.
The colour of the light is determined by its temperature on the Kelvin scale ranging from 2000K-6500K, with lower numbers meaning a warmer light and higher numbers meaning a cooler one.
For offices, anything below 3500K is too warm and anything above 5500K is too blue. Therefore, the sweet spot for the best LED office lighting lies somewhere between 3500K and 5500K.
Light therapy studies have revealed that a higher colour temperature, also referred to as blue light, triggers the release of serotonin which affects the energy levels and increases productivity while promoting a positive work environment.
On the other hand, lower colour temperatures, also referred to as warm light similar to the red light that occurs naturally at the end of the day, triggers the release of melatonin which causes one to relax, unwind, and become sleepy.
Considering the effects of lighting temperature on mood, it is best to opt for natural white and cold white LED lights for the working areas of the office while opting for warmer lights for the break rooms to help the employees relax.
Three types of lighting styles can be used to illuminate an office space. They are general lights, task lights, and accent lights.
General lighting provides satisfactory minimal lighting levels in rooms that allow some flexibility with the help of dimmers to raise or lower the general lighting conditions.
Task lighting is needed for specific activities such as reading or working and must be carefully selected and correctly positioned.
Accent lighting contributes to the ambience of the area to emphasise furniture, ornaments, and architectural features.
For an office space, general overhead lighting must be supplemented with task lighting bulbs that have a low glare to help employees focus on their work.
Keeping common computer ergonomics in mind, the lights must be placed away from the computer screen to reduce lighting effects and glare.
Instead of using direct lighting, which may cause eye complications, headaches, and stress, all of which lead to lower productivity, office owners must use indirect lighting.
The spacing of the lights is also an important factor. You must distribute them evenly around the office instead of installing them all in one place so that every corner is well lit.
Natural light, aka sunlight, is the best and most affordable supplementary office lighting that not just boosts employee productivity and morale but has several other health benefits as well.
If you’re feeling fatigued during the day, try taking a walk outside in the sun and see how quickly you feel your mood and spirits uplifting.
Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D which isn’t just great for your bone health but also extremely beneficial in removing mood swings and depression that may cause low productivity at work.
Natural light plays an important role when choosing the best lighting option for your office. You must aim to combine natural and artificial LED lighting to create the perfect work environment, in which case you must opt for warm coloured and low-wattage task lights to enhance the clarity of your workspace.
For offices that don’t have access to natural light, it is advisable to look for LED lights that mimic natural sunlight, i.e., higher up the Kelvin Scale.
Office lighting has a direct effect on employee performance and productivity making it an important aspect when designing an efficient workspace.
Efficient office lighting not just boosts mood and morale but is also a great way to reduce your energy consumption to save money on your bills and reduce your carbon footprint.
We, at Calder Electrical, provide an easy and effective way of achieving all this by both upgrading to and installing new LED lighting in your homes and offices.
We can offer fittings with 3 to 5+ year warranties that will not only reduce energy costs but also make your offices brighter. We can also provide a forecasted energy calculation so you can see what your energy bills and savings will look like.
We can survey your office space and create a lighting design to see if we can not only reduce the number of light fittings but also make the area reach a lighting level suitable for use.
We can also incorporate motion detectors so that lighting in areas that are low usage is only switched on when someone enters them.
We can give you an energy calculation to show your current lighting costs and the estimated costs by upgrading to LED lighting so that you can see how much you will save, normally aiming for a 40% saving.
If you are undertaking a new installation, we can help you create a lighting design suitable for the office layout and intended usage.
We provide a high and efficient level of LED installation services guaranteed to meet the current wiring regulations BS7671.
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 to talk to our LED lighting experts right away!
Photo by Israel Andrade on Unsplash
