Lighting is one of the most important factors in improving your office environment. With the proper lighting, you can transform the atmosphere and vibe of the space. We often overlook this design aspect, but proper lighting can drastically improve performance, productivity, and mood. Now, what is the best colour temperature for office lighting?

The best colour temperature range for office lighting is between 3000K to 5500K. This color temperature range will keep the employees productive and alert. However, too much blue light will cause eye strain, and too much yellow can make individuals feel sluggish.

In this article, we will discuss more about the colour temperature for office lighting, which one is the best, and if lighting can hamper productivity.

Best Color Temperature For Office Lighting

Good office lighting should be bright enough to highlight the space without creating glare. But an office has its different room for different tasks. The colour temperature should be according to the need.

The right colour temperature and illumination level can make a big difference in the atmosphere and productivity of an office. Here is the recommended different colour temperature for different rooms in an office:

Office Lobby

The lobby is the first area that visitors enter, so it should be bright and inviting. A colour temperature of around 5000K is ideal for the lobby.

This cooler white colour temperature provides a pleasant atmosphere that will create an inviting and professional atmosphere.

Office Corridor

This is one of the most important areas of any workplace. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your office corridor's colour temperature is appropriate. Choosing a neutral or cool colour temperature between 3000K to 4000K for your office corridor will be wise.

This range of temperatures is usually comfortable for both visitors and workers. This colour temperature will make the corridor both inviting and professional.

Employee break rooms

Employee break rooms should be relaxing. And lighting is one of the most important things you need to consider to create a relaxing room. The correct colour temperature can create an atmosphere that is conducive to relaxation and conversation.

The best color temperature for an office break room is between 3000K and 3500K. This range of colour temperature is ideal for conversations and breaks.

Office Workspaces

Office workspaces should be comfortable, and the employees should be productive. Proper workspace lighting can improve your worker's enthusiasm and productivity. Too much light can create a harsh environment, while too little can make the workspace feel gloomy. This is why choosing the right colour temperature for office workspaces is important.

The ideal colour temperature for office workspaces is between 3500K and 5500K. This range will provide a balance between natural daylight and artificial light. It will provide a vibrant and bright atmosphere. Also, this range will provide high-detail visibility.

The colour temperature below 3500k is too yellow, which will reduce your staff's productivity. On the other hand, if the color temperature is above 5500k, it is too blue, reducing productivity.

What type of lighting is best for an office?

You have to consider a lot of factors while choosing the best type of lighting for your office. The wrong type can cause eyestrain, headaches, and a lack of productivity. On the other hand, the right type can help promote a comfortable, productive, and safe work environment.

In general, there are two types of lighting you can use in your office. These are natural and artificial. Natural lighting means using daylight, and artificial office lighting can be divided into:

1. LED

2. Fluorescent

3. Incandescent

Natural Light

Natural light is the most preferred type of lighting for an office. It is preferred because it is the most natural and healthy type of light. Natural light is much easier on the eyes and can help to keep workers more alert and productive throughout the day.

Also, natural light can help to reduce glare and reduce energy usage. Most importantly, it provides a more pleasant atmosphere in the office space. However, there are some drawbacks to using natural light in an office. It can be unreliable and inconsistent, depending on weather conditions and the time of day.

Incandescent

Incandescent lighting may provide a nice atmosphere, but it is not the best option in terms of efficiency and cost. It is the least desirable form of lighting for use in an office. Although they may provide a warm, cosy atmosphere, they also have a much shorter average life than other lighting options.

Most importantly, they consume more energy. Also, they tend to be much hotter than LED or Fluorescent, making them less than ideal for office use.

Fluorescent

fluorescent lights are better if they are compared with incandescent lights. In most cases, fluorescent lights last 20 times more than incandescent lights. Also, they do not become hotter like incandescent lights but provide high-lumen outputs.

However, fluorescent and CFL lights are not flawless. They often utilize mercury, which may be difficult to dispose of responsibly.

LED

For a number of reasons, LED is the best option. LED bulbs last the longest of any type of lighting, with an average life span of 25k to 100k hours. It reduces the need for regular maintenance and replacements. They work at lower temperatures, making them less prone to shatter from overheating, contributing to their longer lifespan.

These lights are also low wattage, meaning you don't need to worry about excessive energy costs. Despite their low wattage, LEDs retain excellent output quality, emitting high-lumen outputs.

Is Your Office Lighting Hurting Productivity

Office lighting can create a perfect environment to help employees stay focused, motivated, and productive. Lighting can greatly impact an employee's performance. If the employees are exposed to poor lighting, it can cause eye strain, fatigue, and headache.

On the other hand, good lighting will help them focus, keep them alert and work more efficiently. This can positively influence productivity and workplace morale and help employees be more productive.

Natural light can help people feel more energized and can improve concentration. Artificial lighting, on the other hand, can create a more comfortable environment. If the lighting is too bright, it can be distracting, but if it’s too dim, people can become tired quickly.

Dim lighting can lead to eye strain and fatigue, impairing productivity. When working in dim lighting, the eyes have to work harder to focus, which can lead to headaches and decreased concentration. This can lead to a decrease in productivity.

Harsh lights can also be detrimental to productivity. Too much bright lighting can distract and cause fatigue and eye strain, leading to decreased productivity. It can also cause glare on computer monitors, making it difficult for employees to read and work.

In addition, the color of the light can also affect productivity. Warmer colours, such as yellow and orange, have been shown to have a calming effect, while cooler colours, such as blue and green, can help people stay alert and focused.

So, proper lighting is very important in case of productivity. An office should be productive and comfortable; thus, you have to maintain a balance between too much and too little lighting. You should use natural lights as much as possible. If the natural light is not sufficient, you can go for LEDs.

Conclusion

An important step to making a comfortable and productive office environment is choosing the right color temperature of lighting. Based on the information above, you now know about the best color temperature for office lighting.

Although the range is between 3000k to 5500k, this will vary according to the different rooms and their purposes.