Is your workspace working for you? Studies have demonstrated that the way you light your business affects everything from how customers perceive your brand to your mood and even employee productivity. Get lighting right and take your business to the next level!
Here, we’ll cover seven lighting tricks to add that ‘it’ factor to your office or store.
1. Health Benefits
Every good business owner knows that a happy, healthy worker is a productive worker—but what can a business owner do to promote employee wellness? One influential strategy is investing in dimmable lights for your workspace. Bright lights are the best way to augment the natural energy we feel in the morning, and can even lead to increased productivity. As the day goes on, however, excessively bright lights (with too much blue light) can cause eye strain or induce irregular sleeping patterns.
To prevent this in your office, dim the lights slightly in the afternoon. Bright morning light and waning afternoon light match the natural daylight cycle our bodies crave, and will help regulate circadian rhythms for everyone in the office. This can lead to improved mood, more restful sleep, and increased workplace productivity.
2. Visual Emphasis
Your lights send a message—but how? Overall lighting is important, but here we’re talking about something specific: spotlights. Round lights, shining directly on an object of emphasis, communicate importance and draw a customer’s eye. Highlight a new item in stock, or make your mission statement a central part of the décor. Tell your customers about your brand values, great deals, and more by using intentional spotlights.
3. Increased Artistic Appeal
Artistic flair and evenly distributed light make any room feel classy. No matter the size of your office or shop, strategic lighting can augment the atmosphere. Use lights to create a visual division in a large space, or open up a small area by placing lights accordingly. Make a bland area more interesting or a gathering area feel inviting, using specific light color, brightness, direction, and placement.
4. Emotional Influence
Overall lighting affects more than just employee mood and productivity—it also influences your clients. The color, brightness, and placement of your business lights can make people feel focused, at ease, or excited. Bright lights heighten emotions and energize customers, while dim lights will calm and relax. Colors like yellow, blue, and orange tend to stimulate the brain while greens and browns tend to calm. Use light intensity and color to put your customers in the mood that most benefits your business!
5. Energy Savings
Cost cutting can be as simple as changing your lights. Energy efficient lighting is a must-have for small businesses, not to mention a great way to increase profit margins. Simple upgrades like switching to LED bulbs or implementing a timer can save money and the environment. It’s an all-around win!
6. Increase Brand Clarity
Selling your brand can be quite the task if your customers aren’t sure what your brand really is. Use spotlights to draw the eye to physical objects and areas in your office, but don’t stop there! Your brand colors communicate company values and help customers connect with your brand. For example, upscale offices might opt for a classic white on black look, while a hip downtown storefront might catch attention with a more colorful display. When appropriate, choose colored lights that match your brand image and use them around the office.
7. Photo Opportunities
In a world of selfies and peer marketing, it doesn’t hurt to make your business a photo-friendly space. Create an attractive, well-lit area primed for a photo, and don’t be surprised if it gets a lot of use! As customers have positive experiences with your business, photos are a natural way to capture memories and then take them to social media. You may even go the extra mile and make your logo a focal point for photos—satisfied customers will become your brand ambassadors!
Whether you run a professional office, a retail store, or any other type of business, your professional lighting really makes a difference. Color and brightness affect the mood and productivity of employees and clients. Placement and quantity of light change the visual appearance of your space, and colored, directional lighting can emphasize important brand messages. For personalized advice on how to maximize your business lighting, call our design experts at Stewart Lighting. We’re happy to help!
