LEDs are highly efficient and they last longer than conventional lighting technologies, saving on energy and maintenance costs. That’s great, but studies also show LED lighting can improve employee mood and overall work performance. An LED upgrade can thus brighten your bottom line in more ways than one.

The benefits of LEDs

The market for LED lighting is growing and the technology is advancing rapidly. The latest generation of LED products include several features and characteristics that can benefit your business:

• High energy efficiency
• Long rated life (up to 50,000 hours or more)
• Improved light quality for bright, vivid lighting
• Inherently dimmable for use with daylighting controls
• Instant-on capability for compatibility with occupancy or timer controls
• Color tunable (available in a variety of color temperatures or tones)

LEDs and productivity: what the research says

LEDs upgrades can do a lot more than reduce your energy bills. Research has shown LED lighting can have a positive impact on worker performance and some of the aspects that contribute to it — such as mood, comfort and visibility.

One study compared fluorescent lighting and advanced LED lighting in terms of visual acuity, perception and other measures affecting worker performance. LEDS:

• Improved visual and cognitive tasks by 8%
• Reduced fatigue and increased activity
• Lowered reaction times

The researchers concluded “relative to traditional fluorescent technology with relatively low color temperature, LED appears to support positive mood, extended wakefulness and faster performance on both visual perceptual and cognitive tasks.”

Another study identified a 33% increase in mood ratings when lighting simulated daylight using dimming and color tuning. This mood increase would translate into a 6% improvement in overall work efficiency.

Take action

It’s clear LEDs can help make your workplace shine. Here’s what you can do:

• Replace conventional lights with high-performance LEDs and start realizing their benefits in energy efficiency, long life and improved light quality.
• Install occupancy and dimming controls to save energy and create a more comfortable visual environment.
• Use the color tuning capability of LED lighting to affect the mood and productivity of workers.

Make sure the LED light products you choose meet DesignLights Consortium quality standards. Work with a lighting professional to find the right type of lighting for your application.