LYS and Employee Well-Being: How Proper Lighting Improves the Work Environment in Retail
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Date: November 27, 2025
Employee well-being is no longer just an HR buzzword – it is a critical factor for productivity, retention, and the company's bottom line. In the retail sector, where employees spend entire workdays under artificial lighting, light quality plays a critical role for both physical and mental health. LYS has developed lighting solutions that not only comply with the EN 12464 standard for workplace lighting but go a step further by accounting for employees' circadian rhythm and creating a work environment that promotes well-being and wellness.
The Circadian Rhythm and Artificial Lighting
The human circadian rhythm, also known as the biological clock, is an internal 24-hour cycle that regulates sleep-wake patterns, hormone production, body temperature, and a range of other physiological processes. This clock is primarily controlled by light – specifically by the blue component in daylight, which signals to the brain that it is daytime and suppresses melatonin (the sleep hormone).
In modern retail environments, employees often spend eight hours or more under artificial lighting, frequently with limited access to natural daylight. If this artificial lighting does not account for the circadian rhythm, the consequences can be serious. Incorrect lighting can disrupt the circadian rhythm, leading to sleep problems, fatigue, reduced concentration, mood swings, and in the long term, increased risk of chronic diseases.
Traditional retail lighting systems have primarily focused on illuminating products and creating an attractive shopping experience. Employees' need for biologically correct lighting has often been overlooked. This is a critical shortcoming, as research shows that exposure to proper light during the workday can improve sleep quality, increase energy levels, strengthen the immune system, and improve overall well-being.
EN 12464: The Standard for Workplace Lighting
EN 12464 is the European standard for lighting of indoor workplaces. The standard specifies minimum requirements for illuminance levels, uniformity, color rendering, and glare for different types of workplaces, including retail environments.
For retail stores, EN 12464 specifies minimum requirements for illuminance (measured in lux), color rendering index (CRI), and maximum glare (UGR – Unified Glare Rating). These requirements are designed to ensure that employees can perform their work tasks safely and efficiently without experiencing eye strain, headaches, or fatigue as a result of poor lighting.
However, compliance with the minimum requirements in EN 12464 is not enough to ensure optimal employee well-being. The standard focuses primarily on quantitative aspects of lighting – how much light there is – but does not fully account for qualitative aspects such as spectral composition, dynamic variation throughout the day, and psychological effects of lighting.
This is precisely where LYS' approach differs. By going beyond the standard's minimum requirements and integrating research on circadian rhythm and human-centric lighting, LYS creates lighting solutions that not only meet legal requirements but actively promote employee health and well-being.
LYS Spot Series: Designed for Employee Well-Being
The LYS spot series is developed with a fundamental understanding that lighting affects people on multiple levels. The series combines technical precision with biological awareness to create a work environment where employees thrive.
Biologically Optimized Spectrum
The LYS spot series uses LED technology with a spectrum optimized to support the circadian rhythm. The light source contains the right balance of blue light components that stimulate alertness and concentration during the workday, without being so intense that they disrupt sleep patterns after work hours.
This spectrum mimics natural daylight more accurately than traditional retail light sources, helping employees' bodies maintain a healthy circadian rhythm even during indoor work. The result is employees who feel more alert and energetic during the workday and sleep better at night.
High Color Rendering (CRI >90)
Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures how accurately a light source renders colors compared to natural daylight. The LYS spot series has a CRI of over 90, which is significantly higher than the standard requirement of 80 for retail environments.
High color rendering is not only important for displaying products correctly – it also has a direct influence on employees' experience of the work environment. Accurate color rendering reduces eye strain, as the eyes do not have to work extra hard to compensate for distorted colors. This results in less fatigue and headaches during the workday.
Furthermore, accurate color rendering creates a more natural and pleasant visual environment, which has positive psychological effects. Employees often report that work environments with high CRI lighting feel more "alive" and less clinical, contributing to better mood and job satisfaction.
Anti-Glare: Comfort for Employees and Customers
One of the most innovative features of the LYS spot series is the advanced anti-glare design. Glare occurs when there is too much contrast between bright and dark areas in the visual field, or when light sources are directly visible and too intense. Glare is one of the most common causes of eye strain, headaches, and fatigue in the workplace.
The LYS spot series uses precisely designed optics and shielding that direct light effectively to the areas that need to be illuminated, while eliminating direct glare from the light source. This is achieved through a combination of lenses, reflectors, and diffusers that shape the light distribution without creating sharp contrasts or visible light sources in employees' field of vision.
For employees, this means a dramatic reduction in eye strain. Cashiers sitting at their workstation for several hours no longer experience glare from ceiling lighting reflecting in screens or creating uncomfortable contrasts. Store employees moving around the store are not exposed to sudden shifts between bright and dark zones that can cause fatigue and concentration difficulties.
Uniform Light Distribution
The LYS spot series is designed to create uniform light distribution throughout the store, eliminating dark corners and sharp transitions between different lighting levels. Uniform lighting reduces the need for eyes to constantly adapt to different light levels, minimizing fatigue and improving visual comfort.
This uniformity is particularly important in retail environments where employees often move between different zones – from the stockroom to the sales floor, from the checkout area to the fitting room. When lighting is uniform, employees do not experience the visual stress that comes from constantly having to adapt to new lighting conditions.
Benefits for Employee Well-Being
Implementation of the LYS spot series in retail environments has documentable positive effects on employee well-being. These benefits manifest on several levels.
Reduced Fatigue and Eye Strain
Employees in stores with LYS lighting consistently report lower levels of fatigue and eye strain compared to traditional retail lighting. This is due to the combination of biologically optimized spectrum, high color rendering, anti-glare, and uniform light distribution.
Reduced fatigue means employees have more energy throughout the workday, improving both productivity and job satisfaction. Fewer complaints about headaches and eye problems reduce absenteeism and improve overall workplace satisfaction.
Improved Sleep Quality
Although it may seem paradoxical, proper lighting in the workplace actually improves employees' sleep quality at night. By supporting the circadian rhythm during the workday, LYS lighting helps the body maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.
Employees exposed to biologically correct light during the day produce melatonin more effectively in the evening, leading to faster sleep onset and deeper sleep. Better sleep results in more rested employees who arrive at work with higher energy levels and better mood.
Increased Concentration and Productivity
The biologically optimized spectrum in the LYS spot series stimulates alertness and concentration. The blue light component signals to the brain that it is daytime, suppressing melatonin production and increasing production of cortisol and serotonin – hormones that promote wakefulness and positive mood.
The result is employees who are more focused, make better decisions, and work more efficiently. For retail employees, this means better customer service, fewer checkout errors, and higher overall productivity.
Improved Mood and Job Satisfaction
Light has a direct influence on mood through its effect on serotonin production. Proper lighting can reduce the risk of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and general depression, particularly during winter months when daylight exposure is limited.
Employees in stores with LYS lighting often report improved mood and higher job satisfaction. This creates a more positive work environment, better team dynamics, and lower staff turnover.
Benefits for Customers: Better Shopping Experience
While employee well-being is the primary focus, the LYS spot series design also has significant benefits for customers. The anti-glare feature creates not only comfort for employees but also markedly improves customers' shopping experience.
Elimination of Glare in the Purchase Process
Customers shopping in stores with poor lighting often experience glare from spotlights shining directly in their eyes, or reflections from glossy surfaces. This creates discomfort and can actually disrupt the purchase process. When customers feel uncomfortable or experience visual stress, they are less likely to spend time in the store and make purchases.
The LYS spot series anti-glare design eliminates these disruptions. Customers can move freely around the store, examine products, and make purchase decisions without being disturbed by uncomfortable lighting. This creates a more relaxed and pleasant shopping experience.
Better Mentality and Purchase Behavior
When customers are not exposed to glare or visual stress, they maintain a more positive mentality throughout the shopping experience. Research shows that comfortable physical conditions – including pleasant lighting – increase customers' propensity to spend more time in the store and make more purchases.
Proper lighting creates an atmosphere of quality and professionalism. Customers perceive stores with good lighting as more reliable and worth shopping in. This is particularly important in competitive retail markets where customer experience can be the deciding factor between choosing your store or a competitor's.
Accurate Color Rendering for Better Purchase Decisions
The high CRI in the LYS spot series ensures that customers see products in their true colors. This is critical for purchase decisions, particularly in clothing, cosmetics, and home furnishings, where color is a crucial factor.
When customers can trust that the colors they see in the store match the colors they will see at home, returns are reduced and customer satisfaction increases. This benefits both the bottom line and customer loyalty.
Integration with EN 12464 Compliance
The LYS spot series not only complies with the EN 12464 standard – it exceeds it on several parameters. While the standard specifies minimum requirements, LYS lighting delivers optimal performance that goes beyond compliance to create a work environment that actively promotes well-being.
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Parameter
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EN 12464 Minimum Requirements
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LYS Spot Series Performance
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Illuminance (lux)
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1300-1500 (depending on area)
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1400-1600 (optimized per zone)
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Color Rendering Index (CRI)
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≥80
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>90
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Unified Glare Rating (UGR)
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≤22
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<16 (anti-glare)
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Uniformity
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≥0.4
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>0.6
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Color temp. stability
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Not specified
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±200K over lifetime
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By exceeding the standard's requirements, LYS ensures that the work environment is not only legal but optimal for employee health and productivity.
Implementation and Results
Retail chains that have implemented the LYS spot series consistently report positive results for both employee well-being and business outcomes.
A medium-sized clothing chain with 25 stores implemented LYS lighting and conducted before-and-after surveys of employee satisfaction. The results showed a 34% reduction in reported fatigue, 42% reduction in headaches and eye strain, and a 28% increase in overall workplace satisfaction. At the same time, the chain experienced a 12% reduction in absenteeism and an 8% increase in customer satisfaction scores.
A larger electronics chain reported that implementation of LYS lighting resulted in 15% longer average shopping time and a 9% increase in average transaction value. Employees reported that customers more frequently commented positively on the store's atmosphere and lighting.
The Future: Human-Centric Lighting in Retail
The LYS spot series represents a broader movement toward human-centric lighting – lighting designed primarily with human needs in mind rather than only functional or aesthetic requirements. As research on light's influence on human health and well-being grows, it becomes increasingly clear that proper lighting is not a luxury but a necessity.
For retail businesses, investment in quality lighting like the LYS spot series is not just a cost – it is an investment in employee health, productivity, and retention, as well as in customer experience and the bottom line. In a competitive labor market where employees have more choices than ever, the quality of the work environment – including lighting – can be the deciding factor for attracting and retaining talent.
Conclusion
Lighting in retail environments has traditionally focused on highlighting products and creating an attractive shopping experience. But this approach overlooks a critical factor: the employees who spend most of their waking hours under this lighting.
The LYS spot series demonstrates that it is possible to create lighting that complies with the EN 12464 standard, promotes employee well-being through biologically optimized spectrum and anti-glare, and improves customer experience. By accounting for the circadian rhythm, eliminating glare, and delivering high color rendering, LYS creates a work environment where employees thrive and customers feel welcome.
The result is a win-win-win situation: happier and healthier employees, more satisfied customers, and better business results. In a time when employee well-being and customer experience are critical competitive parameters, investment in proper lighting is no longer optional – it is essential.
About LYS
LYS (Light Your Store) is a Danish company with over 20 years of experience in the lighting industry. LYS specializes in developing lighting solutions for the retail sector that combine technical excellence with deep understanding of human biological and psychological needs. The LYS spot series is the result of extensive research and development in collaboration with experts in human-centric lighting, work environment, and retail design.
For more information about how the LYS spot series can improve employee well-being and customer experience in your store, contact our team for a free consultation and lighting analysis.