Broad-spectrum fluorescent lighting linked to improved productivity
The effect of high correlated colour temperature office lighting on employee wellbeing and work performance. Mills PR, Tomkins SC, Schlangen LJ. J Circadian Rhythms. 2007. 5: 2.
Aim
To quantify the impact of broad-spectrum fluorescent lighting on employee health and performance at work.
Looked at
69 UK-based employees of Standard Life Healthcare, 46 of whom had a broad-spectrum fluorescent lighting system installed in their office, and 23 of whom worked elsewhere and did not have access to the lighting (the control group).
How?
Data on alertness, work performance, concentration and health-related quality of life of the two groups were compared between February and May 2005.
Results
- The lighting group's ability to concentrate improved significantly over the study period when compared with the control group; the mean individual score improved by 36.8% in the intervention group vs 1.7% in the control group.
- Further improvements were observed in the intervention group in areas of fatigue (26.9% improvement in score), alertness (28.2%), daytime sleepiness (31.0%) and work performance (19.4%).
What does this mean?
Broad-spectrum fluorescent lighting could improve employee well-being and work performance.