Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects one in 10 people during the winter months. Good lighting at work can help counter the symptoms of SAD – which include headaches and depression – and can increase employee productivity all round.

Discuss the problem Ask staff, or consult an expert, to identify workspaces that are too dim or too bright, or where lighting levels fluctuate. Dim lights cause eye-strain and can be depressive, while bright lights can look too clinical. Reflective glare will make computer screens difficult to read, which is tiring.

Make it natural Remove lamps that are not needed and make more use of natural light including skylights. Replace regular light bulbs with "daylight" bulbs. Natural light, or seemingly natural light, is almost always more cheerful than artificial light.

Scrap strip lighting Avoid lights that shine down straight down from the ceiling's fixtures. These make ceilings look dim and the office space below seem gloomy. Also, they tend to cast shadows on people's faces.

Stay neutral For floors and office furniture, choose neutral colours that don't reflect light. This means you'll have more control over how your lighting is reflected throughout the office.

Postscript

Tips provided by fit-out specialist Morgan Lovell.