How natural light can benefit workspaces – London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

In today’s world, where the average person will spend 90,000 hours, or one-third of their life at work, designing office environments that prioritize employee health and well-being cannot be overstated. Alongside ergonomic features and cutting-edge technologies designed to boost comfort and productivity, modern workplaces should also be places where employees feel energized and inspired to perform at their best.

The importance of natural light in the workplace is more than simply a preference for employees today. According to a survey published in the Harvard Business Review, access to natural light and outdoor views are the number one attribute employees want in their workplace environment.

These criteria were found to be so important to employees that they outranked traditional demands such as fitness centers, cafeterias, and onsite childcare facilities. In this article, we will take a closer look at the benefits that natural light can introduce into the workplace, exploring how it can enhance both employee well-being and productivity.

Enhanced creativity

Working in an environment with ample natural light can positively influence creativity levels. Research from Human Space found that people working in environments that incorporate natural elements, such as daylight reported levels of creativity that were 15% higher than the levels reported by those who work in environments where these features were absent. While these findings can be particularly beneficial for industries that rely on the creativity of their staff such as design, fashion and marketing agencies, all industries can reap the benefits of greater creativity.

Exposure to natural light also inhibits the production of melatonin, a key hormone for regulating sleep by inducing drowsiness. By lowering levels of melatonin, a well-lit workspace can help employees feel more alert, inspired and able to think outside of the box.  This can promote a workplace where innovative thinking and problem-solving are encouraged, leading to more creative and dynamic outcomes.

Improves engagement and productivity

A work environment that allows greater amounts of natural light can help boost employee engagement and productivity. This is highlighted by studies such as those carried out by the Polytechnic University of Madrid which found that the introduction of natural light can increase employee productivity by more than 60%.

This finding was further confirmed by research carried out by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) involving Walmart stores. The research examined the impact that natural light had on sales performance throughout near-identical Walmart stores with the exception of skylights in some stores and not others.

The results were that the stores that had skylights reported 40% greater sales compared to stores with artificial lighting only. By installing these natural-light-enhancing features in their offices, such as those made by Sunsquare Skylights, businesses can also benefit from enhanced productivity levels among their staff.

Improves health and wellbeing

There are numerous health and well-being benefits to be reaped from greater levels of natural light in the work environment. One study conducted by Northwestern Medicine and the University of Illinois found that employees who worked in offices with windows slept 46 minutes longer on average per night, engaged in more physical activity, and enjoyed a better quality of life compared to workers in windowless offices. This is because natural light helps the body regulate its natural rhythms or circadian clock, improving sleep patterns by influencing melatonin secretion in the hours before bedtime.

Well-rested and refreshed employees are more equipped to perform at their best. Through improved mood, and lower levels of drowsiness they are also less likely to make mistakes. Increased natural light in office settings can also lead to lower eye strain, fatigue and headaches. Natural light is especially important in the colder months when access to natural light levels and vitamin D is limited, increasing the incidence of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other factors that contribute to poor mental health in employees.

By introducing greater amounts of natural light into workspaces, employees can experience improvements in their health and well-being. In addition, employers can also benefit from lower levels of absenteeism and sickness at work.

Reduced stress levels

Many businesses today are maximizing natural light or ‘daylighting’ as part of their office design. By leveraging skylights, windows and other light-enhancing features to bring more sunlight into office spaces, employees also benefit from reduced stress levels.

Studies in this area have found that greater exposure to sunlight helps to increase the production of serotonin, a key neurotransmitter in elevating mood and positively influencing employee mental health. Healthy serotonin levels can help employees feel more focused, emotionally stable, happier and calmer at work, helping to counter the negative effects of stressors.

By introducing features that enhance levels of natural light in the workplace, both employers and employees can reap the several reap benefits outlined.