There are a several important components of a successful business.

Of course, you have to have clients, earn revenue, pay for expenses and increase productivity. There are a million strategies for achieving these broad ambitions.

You might use task management software to communicate on every project. You might set specific revenue goals, and seek out new ways to cut out unnecessary expenses.

All of your goals are probably great, and your strategies are most likely working, but you forgetting something important.

It isn’t obvious at first.

It is just something you do every morning and night. You show up, unlocked the door and turn on a light, and when as you leave it is turned off. It is a process that doesn’t demand much attention until the electricity goes out.

However, You should care a lot about the lighting in your office, and when you finally recognize you have a lighting problem, it is hard to ignore.

Maybe you noticed employees secretly (or not so secretly) unscrewing the bright lights above their desk and plugging in a lamp. It is also possible you are tired of tired eyes from staring at your glowing computing in your relentlessly bright office.

It isn’t your imagination, those fluorescent lights really are draining you and your team every day.

What science says about your office lighting

It’s complicated.

Hundreds of studies found a relationship between lighting and productivity. However, the best lighting comes down to the task at hand.

The problem with the average fluorescent light is the ballasts that sends quick pulses. In fact, it is so fast, it is perceived as a constant light, but it isn’t.  

The flickering can cause eyes to strain harder, especially around computer work, which can cause migraines and increase stress. Poor lighting can also affect sleep patterns and further prevent productivity.

A simple change from magnetic ballasts to electronic ballast may combat some of these side effects.

Go green

Not green lights, just efficiency.

Lighting counts for about 20 to 50 percent your company’s electric consumption, which means with the right renovations you can have substantial savings.

1. Start by replacing inefficient incandescent lamps with halogen lamps.

2. Use compact fluorescent lamps because they require 75 percent less energy.

3. Consider installing high-intensity discharge lighting in building with high ceilings.

4. Don’t forget to change light bulbs in the exit signs and other light sources in your business to more efficient options.

The future of business lighting is LED. The versatility and longevity LED lights offer make them a great option for reducing expenses, but they also provide coveted customization.

Consider installing customization capabilities

Fluorescents became an office building staple, but what’s next?

Not everyone is ready to sit in a room lit only by dim yellow lights and lamps (although your creative team most likely thank you for eliminating those blinding fluorescents).

Rather than making your office space with only one lighting option (on or off) customization could make everyone happier. Your team might do a plethora of different tasks that demand different lighting environments. 

Bright lighting is necessary for reading documents with small print, medium light is great for collaboration meeting and low lighting helps prevent fatigue when typing.

Maybe you're not ready for a fully customizable lighting. Equip each work station with a desk lamp and overhead lighting that can be easily shut off or turned on based on preferences.

Consider wiring different parts of the office with various types of lighting. One side can be equipped with dim lighting and the other side bright, and give your team a choice based on where they work best.

Overall, customization can help improve job satisfaction, increase productivity, which in turn reduces expenses spent on downtime and bolsters revenue.

The bottom line

You have a lot of decisions to make when it comes to lighting your company. At Genesis Electric, we can help you make a choice that fits your budget. Call us at 405-651-0680 for an estimation on your next lighting project.