Control Your Work Environment
See and Feel the Difference
Studies have shown that environmental factors can have a big effect in the
workplace. In fact, work performance can be either enhanced or decreased by
office environmental factors such as light and temperature. Luckily, these are
factors that can be controlled.
You Can See the Problem
Performance has been shown to decrease when lights are too dim or too bright.
Poor lighting, including glare, also produces a number of complaints such as:
-
Eyestrain
-
Headaches
-
Blurred vision
-
Double vision
-
Burning and dry eyes
-
Light sensitivity
Make sure your lighting is appropriate for your needs. If you work with
fluorescent lighting, take occasional breaks and go near a window or outside so
you can get some natural light.
Warmer Works Better
It will come as no surprise that work performance decreases when offices are
too cold or too hot. A university study in Florida suggested that performance
improves as room conditions approach a predicted thermal comfort zone. The
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) identifies that this zone
is in the range of 68º and 76° F with humidity control in the range of 20% and
60%. OSHA's testing has shown that significant increases in productivity result
from keeping the temperature in the appropriate range, especially toward the
upper end of the scale.
|
 |
|