When it comes to an office space, brighter is always better. Nobody – not an employee or a client wants to walk into a dim office. Poorly lit offices tend to create a negative first impression.
However, installing a series of lights may not be the perfect solution. While artificial light does brighten a space, it doesn’t add warmth. It’s only with natural lighting that you can get a balance of luminescence and warmth. It’s the simple reason why people prefer to sit at window seats rather than in the centre of the room.
This isn’t just an opinion, a survey called “The Employee Experience” showed that access to natural light is the most important office attribute for employees.
What Is Natural Light?
Before getting into the many natural light benefits for employees, it is important to first understand what it is. In the context of office spaces, natural lighting is light generated by the sun. To access this light, office spaces need big windows.
Skylights in the ceiling are another way to allow natural light to flood through an office. Since office hours tend to extend beyond the sunset, natural lighting must be supplemented by artificial light in terms of overhead lighting and desk lamps.
The benefits of good lighting in the workplaces extend from employee wellbeing to productivity and ultimately the company’s profits. Let’s take a closer look at some of the natural light advantages in office spaces.
Top 4 Advantages of Natural Light in Office Spaces
1. Better Overall Health
Natural lighting has a big impact on individual health and wellbeing. Today, where most of the working day is spent staring into a computer screen, eye strains, blurred vision and headaches are common health complaints. Working in well-lit environments reduces such issues by as much as 84%.
In turn, this lowers the risk of other related health issues and improves overall wellbeing. The healthier a person is, the fewer sick days he or she will need and the more productive they will be at work. In turn, this improves the individual’s mental health.
2. Higher Energy Levels
According to “The Employee Experience” survey, a lack of natural light in offices is cited as the reason why over 40% of employees feel tired and gloomy in the office. Exposure to natural light is closely linked to the body’s circadian rhythm.
A study showed that people who worked in naturally lit spaces slept better at night. When they sleep well at night, they are fully rested in the morning and recharged. Higher energy levels translate to more engagement and the ability to focus on tasks for longer.
Exposure to natural light also suppresses melatonin levels which keeps people from nodding off during the day. There’s a lower risk of fatigue and workers are more alert during the day.
3. It Encourages Collaboration
Good light creates a positive environment in the office. People are more likely to be happy and cheerful in such environments. Along with brightening a space, natural light is also a good source of Vitamin D and Serotonin. Vitamin D has many benefits ranging from reducing pain and discomfort to fighting depression while Serotonin helps a person feel calm and focused. It makes them able to work a full schedule with a much lower risk of getting into a bad mood. As a result, people working in naturally lit offices will be more willing to help others and work in teams.
4. Confidence Booster
Lastly, working in a naturally lit space can boost employee confidence levels. The relationship may be indirect but it is important. It’s the result of all the above points.
When people are energetic and alert, they’re less likely to make mistakes. Thus, their proposals and presentations have a better impact and are more likely to be successful. Similarly, taking fewer sick days and collaborative efforts bring in continuity and can shorten project timelines to increase satisfaction levels. All of this comes together to boost self-confidence levels.
The more confident an individual, the more responsibilities he or she can take on. It’s a win-win for the company and the individual.
How Can Organizations Reap The Benefits Of Natural Light?
An organization is only as good as its people. When the people working for the company are happy and healthy, productivity and profits will be higher. It is this that makes implementing natural lighting into the office space design a priority. It is also one of the reasons why many smaller companies prefer to work from coworking spaces rather than tiny offices and home garages.
The coworking spaces provided by The Office Pass (TOP) in Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon are large, well laid out and you can choose a desk by the window. To know more or plan a visit, reach out to us at 08999 828282.
