Productivity is a major concern for any business operation, and while the bottom line is always a factor when it comes to office upgrades, it’s also important to ensure that employees enjoy an office environment conducive to efficiency and optimal productivity. The question, of course, is what type of environment encourages productivity?
Is it better to have cubicles that allow employees a measure of privacy needed to focus on work, or are open environments better for encouraging creativity, brainstorming, and collaboration? To some degree, it may depend on the type of business you run, but you should know that the lighting in your office can have a major impact on your workforce.
If your office is too dim, employees may suffer eyestrain or find it difficult to keep their eyes open after lunch. If it’s too bright, employees could get frequent headaches, just for example. With the right lighting options and window treatments in place, however, you can engineer a well-lit environment that delivers ideal productivity levels. Here are a few things to think about when choosing office window treatments.
Seeing the Light
The most important aspect of any lighting design is to add function to your space, and this means creating optimal lighting solutions that help your employees to see. Many offices have moved away from fluorescent lights at this point because they not only create a cold color environment (casting things in a greenish/bluish light), but they’re well known for causing eyestrain (a problem exacerbated when people stare at computer monitors all day).
In addition to replacing fluorescent bulbs with soft, ambient, overhead lighting and targeted task lighting on desks, imbuing your office with natural light whenever possible can help your employees to see better and avoid issues common to computer work, from eyestrain to headaches. Of course, you still need to get the lighting right.
You don’t want glaring sunlight hitting workers directly in the eyes, or hitting monitors and making them nearly impossible to see. For this reason, choosing adjustable options like blinds is wise. If your office gets a ton of sunlight, you might also opt for solar shades that preserve the view while cutting glare and the sun’s harmful rays. As a bonus, they help to reduce incoming heat for greater comfort and energy efficiency.
Affecting Mood
It’s no surprise that natural light has the ability to affect mood – just consider conditions like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of seasonal depression thought to be caused by the lack of sunlight in northern regions during the fall and winter. Because of the way circadian rhythms work, people tend to be most alert during daylight hours, as long as they’re exposed to natural light. By bathing your office in natural light, you can create an environment that encourages alertness and a positive mood, increasing productivity in the process.
Boosting Morale
The right window treatments not only let in the light, but they can also add warmth and personality to your office, helping employees feel comfortable and relaxed, and proving that you care enough to provide a beautiful setting for your employees to work in. Adopting policies that show you value employees can help to build mutual respect and admiration and boost morale.
When you’re ready to add or upgrade office window treatments, contact the qualified professionals at The Blinds Side at 410-630-6940 or [email protected].