Follow these tips to fill your office with natural light and provide your staff with a better working environment
A study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that people who work in a naturally lit environment and have good exposure to sunlight sleep for 45 minutes longer than those in poorly lit offices.Natural light also makes people feel more energetic, partly due to the vitamin D, which boosts immune systems. This means less sick days.
Without knocking your office down and starting again, here are 5 ways to give your staff more natural light:
1. Use of mirrors
Mirrors are a good way to bounce what light you do have around the office. Place them near windows and have them on slight angles so the sun bounces into the darker area.
Be warned though that in the summer, the light reflected off mirrors can be hot, so make sure it doesn’t directly land where someone is sitting.
2. Daylight emulators
You can now buy lamps that emulate daylight. Instead of being barraged with harsh fluorescent lights, these offer a softer hue and the best ones can help tackle Seasonal Affective Disorder in the long winter months.
They are relatively affordable so you could go as far as to get one for each desk. Other options include simple desk lamps, which can help eliminate shadows behind screens taking some of the strain off your eyes.
3. Blinds and curtains
One of the problems with offices is not that they don’t have enough windows but that the light often glares onto computer screens. By using blinds and curtains you can make sure that the light comes in but is either directed away from screens using the blinds or filtered and softened by the curtains.
4. Redecorate
If you can’t rebuild your office you could always redecorate. Lighter colours help reflect the light around the rooms, while dark colours absorb light.
Another option is to move to where the light is instead of trying to make the light move to you. Look where the best lit spots are and move desks towards them.
5. Getting outside
If all else fails, make sure your staff take regular breaks and get outside. Not only will they be getting their daily fix of vitamin D but they’ll also get some fresh air and time to clear their minds.
A lot of modern offices are now including roof gardens and decked areas. Make sure your company Wifi extends to these areas and let your staff take their laptops to the outside world.
Posted by The Secret Businessman