How to Choose Cubicle Lighting for Small Offices

Published July 27, 2023

Poor cubicle lighting is frequently listed as one of the most prevalent interior design errors. While poor lighting is stressful and uncomfortable in any area, it may be challenging in a home office or any professional setting. In fact, poor lighting is one of the most often reported workplace concerns worldwide. 

It’s simple to see why employees are dissatisfied with working in an environment that is either too bright or too dark. Improper office illumination can have a detrimental effect on worker productivity and the quality of work performed. Additionally, it might be a safety and health problem. Insufficient light can impair vision, making accidents and injuries considerably more likely to occur. Headaches, weariness, and eye strain, as well as wet or burning eyes, can also be caused by an excess or a deficiency of light. So how much illumination and what type of lighting should your cubicle or office building have? Consider the following recommendations when you make your choice.

What Are The Different Types of Lighting

To begin, do you know which type of cubicle lighting you should go for? There are different types available, and each has its own unique function and set of pros and cons. You can use a combination of these many lighting sources to create a well-lit working environment.

Natural Light

Any office building’s windows are valuable possessions. Unfortunately, they are rather uncommon and are usually reserved for CEOs with corner offices. Aside from providing a view, windows also give essential natural light. 

Natural lighting is superior to any form of electric lighting, as numerous research studies, including one conducted in the United Kingdom and published in “The Responsible Workplace,” have demonstrated that exposure to natural light increases worker satisfaction with their workplace and productivity. 

Also, natural light has a beneficial effect on our attitude and conduct in ways that artificial light cannot. Unfortunately, natural light is not always a practical alternative for your workstation. Utilize it whenever possible and arrange your office furniture accordingly.

Overhead Lighting

This is not the brightest sort of illumination and may cast shadows or simply be too dim. Generally, it is preferable to incorporate several sources of lighting than relying exclusively on an overhead light. For example, if you work in an office with fluorescent overhead lighting, adding either corrective or ambient lighting may alleviate some of the discomfort associated with fluorescent lights. When it comes to overhead lighting, you’ll want to choose lensed indirect lighting over direct parabolic lighting.

Task Lighting

If your office does not have enough natural and overhead light, you may want to consider installing task lighting on each employee’s wooden or metal desk. Task lights are small lamps – can be a desk lamp – that plug into any socket to give additional lighting precisely where an employee requires it. Additionally, there is a lot to choose from –– for example, LED lights, you can choose whether you want a cubicle LED task light or LED desk lamp –– that mimics the appearance of natural light.

Ambient Lighting

Wondering why you are so stressed out at work? It could be less about your workload and more about your environment. Ambient lighting is low-intensity and can assist you in creating a more serene atmosphere.

Corrective Lighting

Working on a computer for hours at a time, day after day can induce eye strain and even migraines. Therefore, corrective lighting installed behind your computer monitor might be really beneficial—Moreover, this type of lighting assists in reducing the glare generated by the screen.

How to Appropriately Light Your Small Office: Reflected Glare vs. Direct Glare

Keep an eye out for glare, which may be particularly taxing on the eyes. Glare is classified into two types: reflected glare and direct glare. Reflected glare is frequently caused by gleaming furniture and computer monitors. Direct glare, on the other hand, is created by light fixtures that are installed incorrectly or by direct sunlight. 

To eliminate direct glare, try repositioning light fixtures so that their light is reflected away from you rather than toward you. By increasing the brightness of the area or adding more lighting around whatever is creating the glare can help alleviate either form of glare. For example, corrective lighting with a warm white light is ideal for reducing the glare created by computer monitors. 

Take note of areas with insufficient light distribution. You’ll want an evenly lighted office or workstation. This is where the many types of lighting come into play, as each can contribute to a completely balanced filling of a room, resulting in much happier and satisfied employees. 

Furthermore, you should absolutely consider how the color of your office or workspace’s walls influences the lighting. Since ultra-bright or glossy wall paints might induce glare, you may wish to avoid them.

How to Know If Your Cubicle Lighting Needs to be Changed

One of the most effective ways to determine whether your office or cubicle is truly suffering from poor lighting is to ask yourself or the other employee if they experience any of the extremely common and severe side effects. Are you prone to eye strain? Do you find yourself squinting from color temperatures during the day? Are you frequently afflicted with headaches while sitting at your desk or staring at your computer screen? 

Another, more scientific way of determining where your office lacks sufficient illumination is to do several ergonomic tests. It is possible to decide on the average level of lighting in your workspace. Carry out this task and compare your findings to the recommendations for maximum productivity and safety.