Page 46 - Designing Ways 246
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LIGHTING







































                     Two lighting factors that boost employee productivity



                    hether you work in a large-  The ability to customise their desk light   Mid-range bulbs work well in
                    scale corporate office or a   makes employees feel comfortable because   conference rooms where employees need
           Wsmall start-up environment,       they don’t have to strain their eyes or face   to  engage with others. Low-temperature
           lighting plays a pivotal role in your daily   a glare. This reduces the risk of headaches   bulbs are best suited for break rooms
           life at your job. The obvious benefit of   and promotes a productive performance.  where employees relax and drink coffee
           having good lighting at work is that it                              or eat lunch during their off time.  dw
           enables you to see better, but do you know   Colour temperature
           the impact it has on your productivity and   The human body is incredibly sensitive   www.radiant.co.za
           well-being?                        to sunlight and our internal wake/sleep
             Studies show that one of the most   clock, the circadian rhythm, is directly
           common complaints of office workers   related to it. The bluish-white light of
           surveyed was the quality of lighting in   natural daylight signals to us that it’s time
           their office. It was noted that two simple   to  be  active  and  alert  while  the  warm
           things improved the way they felt at work   yellow light of the setting sun lets us know
           and increased their productivity.  that it’s time to slow down and prepare for
                                              a night of rest.
           Control                             That’s why installing light bulbs that are
             A  well-lit  office  makes  employees  feel   a similar colour temperature to natural
           comfortable and happy while they go   daylight makes employees feel most alert
           about their work. Having ample lighting   and  productive.  The  colour  temperature
           for task-oriented activities is important   of lighting is measured in Kelvins. The
           but it goes beyond just having bright   lower the Kelvins the warmer the light,
           ambient lighting in the room. Employees   the higher the Kelvins the cooler the light.
           want task lighting that they can control.  Anything 4600K and above is
             Desk lamps with a dimmer switch and   considered a  high  colour temperature,
           swivel neck give people the flexibility to   anything 3100-46000K is a mid-range
           control the brightness of illumination in   colour temperature, and anything 3000K
           their  workspace  as  well  as  the  direction   or  less  is  a  low colour  temperature.
           of light. This is helpful when switching   High-temperature bulbs are best used in
           between different tasks that require   brainstorming rooms where employees
           different levels of illumination.  need to come up with ideas and strategies.





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