7 Health Benefits of Natural Light in Office Spaces

Whether you actively notice it in your daily life or not, we are incredibly impacted by our surroundings, particularly when it comes to natural light.

In an office environment where everyone is expected to be driven and creative and work hard to achieve their goals, ensuring there is good natural lighting in the space should never be overlooked. With many workers spending the majority of their days indoors, getting this bit of natural illumination is incredible for boosting the office environment.

In fact, ensuring there’s natural light for office spaces is one of the top features workers are looking for when it comes to the office environment, and the benefits of this go far beyond just worker preference.

Curious about the proven benefits of natural light in office environments? Our team at 620 N LaSalle is here to break it down.

7 Health and Productivity Benefits of Office Natural Light

Not convinced of the importance of natural light office features? There are a few factors that may just convince you. From boosting productivity to improving mood, here are all the perks of natural light for office workers.

Improves Moods

Exposure to natural light can do a great deal when it comes to your employees’ moods. There’s a strong connection between natural light and Vitamin D, and Vitamin D is said to help promote better health and improve conditions like depression and chronic pain. For this reason, ensuring your office has ample natural light will help foster a happier workforce.

Increases Productivity

With happier workers comes more productivity, another perk of natural light in offices. With increased exposure to sunlight, people are known to improve their concentration - perfect for work settings. In fact, numerous studies have shown that companies that move to locations with better natural light will see an improvement in productivity up to 20%. Now that’s something every leader wants to hear.

Helps With Sleep

Why should you care about your employee’s quality of sleep? It all comes back to moods and energy, and you want your team to come in ready to work. Studies conducted by Northwestern Medicine found that those that are exposed to natural light sleep better and longer than those that aren’t. This means, once your workers are home, they can better rejuvenate, simply as a result of the work environment.

Improves Staff Health

Have a staff that takes a lot of sick days? Maybe it’s due to the lack of natural light office exposure. Natural light has been linked to the amount of sick time workers take. Those that have a good view of the outdoors and are exposed to natural light take about 6.5% fewer sick days than other staff.

Reduces Headaches, Eyestrain, and Blurred Vision

It’s not as easy to see in dimly lit spaces. In darker locations, employees may experience eye strain, blurred vision, and headaches, but this is something the benefits of natural light in office environments can counteract. With many of these symptoms causing fatigue, natural light will not only reduce these factors but improve energy, too.

Boosts Engagement

Looking to create a vibrant, collaborative office space? Natural light for office workers can do the trick. It has been found that natural light can improve the engagement of workers, helping them remain focused on tasks while making them more open to collaboration with other team members. With this, you can boost success and creativity for a better project outcome.

Cut Costs

We are all looking to save a little, right? With natural light office spaces, you can do a lot to cut electrical costs. By having a well-lit space, you won’t need to rely as much on artificial light, allowing you to limit the use of overhead lights and lamps and instead rely on the natural counterpart.

A Few Simple Ways to Add More Natural Light

Now that you know all about the benefits of natural light in office spaces, how can we brighten up your office? Beyond simply moving locations to a large well-lit office, there are a few methods you can rely on to reap the benefits of a natural light office.

To add more natural light for office environments, try:

• Moving hot desks and work pods around. By moving work areas closer to windows and in direct view of natural light, you can best utilize this natural factor to improve the work environment.
• Re-arrange any large objects that may be blocking the sunlight. From lifting the screens to moving shelves and bookcases to letting the natural light shine through, a bit of rearranging can help quickly illuminate your space.
• Consider what time of day your office gets the most light. This can help you plan the office organization, setting up workstations in the areas that will get the most light throughout the day. This is especially important during those shorter winter days where sunlight is limited.
• Encourage your staff to get outside. By proposing outdoor breaks, whether it’s for a quick walk or a lunch break, you can help your staff reap the benefits of the natural light, even if your office doesn’t get an abundance of sun.
• To mimic the effects of natural light, you can consider installing artificial lighting that provides a similar illumination. Sun lamps and other solutions can help provide the same benefits, even on overcast, cloudy, dark days.

Even if an office move isn’t in the books, or you just can’t get enough of the sun, these solutions will help boost your natural light office in no time.

Conclusion

Clearly, natural light in offices is nothing to take too lightly. The benefits of natural light in office environments are lengthy, and all of which add up to create a more positive, productive, and enjoyable space that employees look forward to heading to every day.

If your current office doesn’t have a great deal of natural light, or you're on the hunt for your first space and want to be sure it has this must-have feature, our team at 620 N LaSalle has you covered. To explore our well-lit office locations, contact us today and schedule a tour to see it for yourself.