Lighting in a workplace is an overlooked detail. The type of lighting you choose can affect the cost, eco-friendliness, safety, security, atmosphere, and efficiency of your workplace. It could even play a vital part in welcoming, guiding, and converting customers.
To make sure that your workplace is as cheerful and productive as it can be, make sure to avoid some of these common workplace lighting mistakes…
Table of Contents
Using incandescent bulbs instead of LEDs
An LED bulb costs more to buy than an incandescent bulb – which puts some people off buying them. However, LEDs use less energy and last longer, resulting in huge savings in the long run. Using less energy also makes them better for the environment. On top of this, they’re much brighter, helping to light up bigger spaces while using less energy.
Illuminating mirrors incorrectly
Mirrors are used in many clothing stores and opticians, as well as commercial bathrooms. Many workplaces forget to add lighting to mirrors or install it in the wrong place so that a customer or employee’s face is cast in shadows. Placing strip lighting over the top or by the sides will provide a clearer reflection (which in a clothing store could be essential for selling items).
Positioning light sources facing monitors
When it comes to offices, light sources should be placed behind a monitor – not facing a monitor screen. Lighting facing directly onto a screen can create glare, which can in turn cause eye strain. This can affect the productivity and general morale of your employees.
Allowing factories/warehouses to be dimly lit
Factories and warehouses are typically big spaces. A lot of business owners don’t know how to light these spaces effectively or skimp on lighting to save costs. However, good lighting can be important for reading information, making quality checks, cleaning efficiently, and cheering up your employees. This is why it’s worth hiring industrial electricians to design and install good-quality lighting in your factory/warehouse.
Misusing low-hanging pendant lights
Low-hanging pendant lights are often hung over restaurant tables, reception desks, and shop counters to create a dusky ambiance. They can also provide focused task lighting, but there are times when they can end up not providing enough lighting for people to see what they’re doing. When poorly positioned, you can also get customers and employees knocking their heads on them. It’s important to position these lights high enough that they aren’t a hazard and so that they provide enough light (consider using additional light sources if a reception desk or shop counter is still slightly gloomy).
Relying on artificial lighting
Letting natural light into a workplace can make it cheerier and healthier. This is because the sun is our main source of vitamin D – which is not only important for our general health but also our mood. If there’s no sunlight coming into your workplace, you could be depriving your employees of vitamin D. Exposure to natural light throughout the day can also keep our circadian rhythm in tune – making us more awake during the day and making it easier to sleep at night. Make sure that windows aren’t permanently obstructed with blinds or shutters, or consider adding new windows to let in more light.
Neglecting exterior lighting
Exterior lighting can have many benefits. It can help to guide visitors to your work building when it is dark and make your premises look more welcoming. It can also deter burglars at night by making it harder for them to break in undetected. Many companies use motion-sensing lights at night to save energy. If your workplace is open 24/7 (such as a hotel), you may want to invest in permanent lighting so that the front is always visible.
Don’t let workplace lighting mistakes ruin your business
It might seem like a small detail, but workplace lighting mistakes could be costly. Follow the advice in this article and make your workplace brighter and safer and shed some light on the improvements you’ll make!
Subscribe for more, and check out the rest of the business articles on the blog for more!