Office Lighting: The Ultimate Guide to Perfecting Workspace Ambience

Illuminate your workplace & watch productivity soar

There are many factors that contribute to a welcoming and productive workplace—the company culture, the decor, the furniture and the food are just a few examples. One area that deserves special attention is your lighting situation, as working in a properly lit space can have a dramatic effect on mood and energy levels. With so many options, where do you even start?

The good news is that perfecting your office lighting doesn’t have to be a massive challenge. Whether you’re working with commercial space or your own home office, these office lighting ideas will guide you toward the ideal illumination situation. 

5 ways to level up your office lighting

1. Know your basics

You can’t choose the right office lighting until you know what to look for. There are a number of factors to think about, such as brightness levels and color temperature. Different fixtures will be appropriate in different settings, so start by familiarizing yourself with the core lighting options:

• Incandescent: Once the standard for indoor lighting, incandescent bulbs are generally inexpensive and suitable for office environments. However, they burn out quickly, prompting frequent replacement, and they leave a lot to be desired as far as energy efficiency.

• Fluorescent: If you’ve ever seen the tubes of light attached to the ceilings of commercial buildings, you’re probably familiar with fluorescent lighting. While more energy-efficient than incandescent lights, fluorescent tubes are also more expensive—and often render color poorly.

• LED: Short for light-emitting diode, LEDs have become a staple of modern office lighting—more on that later.

When it comes to brightness levels, the best practice is to start with OSHA’s guidelines of 30 lumens per square foot of lit area. However, that’s just a jumping-off point; from there, you should strike a balance between ambient lighting and highly illuminated task lights that encourage focus.

Finally, don’t underestimate the effects of color temperature on productivity. Office lighting has undertones that span from red to blue, depending on the color temperature; warmer colors are on the redder end of the spectrum, while cooler colors have more blue undertones. The neutral space in the middle, which has a color temperature of around 4,000K, mimics mid-morning and early afternoon daylight, making it a popular option for workplaces.

Learn more in the full article: How to Choose the Right Commercial Office Lighting for Your Workspace.

2. Start at the top

First things first: you need to address the overhead lighting situation. Overhead lights provide the ambient illumination that serves as the backbone for your office lighting setup. Because these lighting fixtures can vary widely in color temperature, brightness and other features, it’s important to look for some key features:

• Full-spectrum light: Many bulbs used in overhead lighting only emit a small portion of the visible light spectrum. Look for full-spectrum lights that most closely mirror sunlight to help lower stress levels among your employees.

• Adjustable color: To get the most out of your ceiling lights, keep your options as flexible as possible. Using different lighting temperatures at different times of the day—brighter during the daytime, warmer as the sun sets—can help your team feel better and work harder. Look for overhead lights with adjustable color to meet your team’s needs, whether it’s an early-morning meeting or a late-night cram session.

• Glare reduction: With the variety of screens you’ll find in the modern office, glare can cause major issues like Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Look for low-glare bulbs or those that come with glare filters.

• A style that suits your business: Just because overhead lighting is necessary doesn’t mean it can’t contribute to the overall decor. Don’t be afraid to choose stylish options, whether that means LED strips for an edgy and innovative look or chandeliers for classic sophistication.

For more guidance on the best office lighting fixtures, read 7 Overhead Office Lighting Features to Look for to Enhance Productivity.

3. Go natural with LED lighting

Everyone has their own lighting preferences, but natural lighting is generally thought of as the best option for productivity. If you’re just setting up your office space, you can optimize your lighting by paying attention to any east-facing windows, as they capture the most natural light during the day. If that’s not an option, window glazing can help by using exterior appliances to redirect sunlight into interior spaces. Glazing may require some retrofits, but the tradeoff is a more welcoming office space with lower energy costs.

However, if your office doesn’t get sufficient natural light to begin with, LED lighting is the next best thing. High lumen counts allow LED bulbs to mimic natural lighting in a way that incandescent and fluorescent bulbs usually can’t match. That’s not the only point in their favor; switching to LED lighting can also significantly reduce your carbon footprint. If your business is committed to sustainability, this is an easy way to make an eco-friendly choice that also greatly benefits your employees.

On top of that, LED lighting often incorporates modern features that increase their usefulness. Many use smart technology that allows users to adjust their brightness through an app or voice-activated virtual assistant. You can take this concept even further by installing LEDs with customizable colors to make more of an impact during important functions and client presentations.

Want to know more? Check out LED Office Lighting: 7 Key Benefits and 5 Features to Look for in Natural Office Lighting.

4. Make desks task-oriented

With your ambient lighting secured, it’s time to focus on desks. Whether your office is set up with cubicles or an open floor plan, desk lighting can help your team focus. It’s hard to go wrong with the classic desk lamp, especially when so many LED options are available, but here are a few more suggestions:

• Monitor lights: If your employees spend most of their workdays staring at computer monitors, they’ll likely appreciate the implementation of monitor lights. These LED light bars hang just above the screen to reduce glare and shadows.

• Ergonomic lights: Creating an ergonomic workspace doesn’t end with the desk chair. Clamp-on lights with adjustable arms give employees greater control over their task lighting while also saving desk surface space.

• Ring lights: If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ve probably seen your fair share of influencers using ring lights. There’s a reason they’re so popular among on-camera personalities: ring lights illuminate faces evenly, making them an excellent option for video calls.

Not every desk light needs to be task-oriented, however. Desk-mounted LED strips can create pops of color and give the office that futuristic, high-tech look. Alternately, if your office has a front desk, a statement fixture makes a bold first impression.

Get more office lighting tips in the full article: Creating the Perfect Ambience: 11 Office Desk Lighting Ideas.

5. Don’t neglect the home office

With approximately one third of full-time employees working entirely or partially remotely, it’s more important than ever to ensure your home office is optimized for productivity. Once again, you can start at the top with ceiling light fixtures—this is going to be particularly important if your home office doesn’t get a lot of natural light.

There are a few things to keep in mind when selecting overhead lights. You want to choose a style that suits you, but you also need to ensure the room is evenly illuminated. Some ceiling lights have diffusers built in, but you can also place translucent material over some bulbs to get a similar effect.

Just as you would in the business office, you’ll want to consider ergonomics, brightness and color temperature. Again, neutral lighting that emulates mid-morning to afternoon daylight is considered one of the best options, but ultimately it comes down to your personal preferences. Choose desk fixtures designed for specific tasks that help reduce glare and shadows to complement the ambient lighting above.

Once you’ve selected your basic home office lighting fixtures, you might want to consider how you’ll look on camera during conference calls. Light sources can significantly affect video quality, so consider a personal ring light to avoid looking washed-out or overly tired on camera.

Learn more about the ideal home office lighting in The Business Owner’s Guide to Choosing the Best Home Office Ceiling Lighting and 6 Tips for Selecting the Best Home Office Lighting.

Brighten up your workplace with Walmart Business

Walmart Business can help with your office lighting needs. Our varied selection of office lighting has options for everything from overhead lights to task-oriented desk lights, and you’ll find plenty of styles to match your company culture.

Already have a Walmart Business account? It might be time to upgrade to a Walmart Business+ membership and take advantage of free shipping with no order minimum.¹ You’ll also enjoy benefits like free delivery from local stores with a $35 minimum² and 2% back in Walmart Business Rewards on orders of $250 or more.³ That could add up to savings of $500 a year!⁴ Click here to learn more.

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply. 

³ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).