Another reason to Green-over your business
Or, another way to convince your boss to.
It turns out, and this should be no surprise, that greening a business will actually increase productivity. Here are just a few of the ways that it can do this:
Ventilation: First of all, a building that has been LEED or Energy Star Certified creates a work environment that reduces absenteeism. As someone who works in a germ-trap full of cubicles, I can attest to the fact proper ventilation and fresh air will keep the office cold from circulating 6 times each month. Improper ventilation can lead to Sick Building Syndrome, which the EPA describes as “situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.”
Lighting: Any doctor will tell you (and mine has) that the flicker (typically not even perceptible to the eye) from a fluorescent light will cause eye strain and headaches. It has been linked in the past to my migraines, which put me out of work for no less than a day at a time. Natural lighting, even when just combined with the fluorescent lights, helps to relieve some of the tension on your eyes.
In “Lighting and the Workplace” the International Labour Organization states that “with adequate lighting workers can produce more products with fewer mistakes, which can lead to a 10-50 % increase in productivity. Good lighting can decrease errors by 30-60 % as well as decrease eye-strain and the headaches, nausea, and neck pain which often accompany eyestrain. Adequate lighting allows workers to concentrate better on their work which increases productivity” They also point out that good lighting reduces workplaces accidents.
For those of us who suffer through work sick, natural lighting has also been shown to promote quicker healing.
Ergonomics: It is widely believed, and seems to make sense, that an ergonomic, natural lit workplace can both boost your creativity and raise your cognitive function. Proper ergonomics will also streamline your work process, creating less downtime and naturally raising production. Not to mention the fact that proper ergonomics can reduce work place injury as well.
For information on how to make your building green, visit the US Green Building Council
In the meantime, you will find me trying to get my absences excused due to bad air and crappy lighting. The owner of my company drives a diesel truck. Wish me luck.
