The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light • Hacker News Board

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#21

Post by mrweasel » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 10:54 AM UTC

Legogris wrote: post #14

Am I the only one here who actually likes it dark? It might be healthier with natural light, but my personal preferences has always been darkness. I wonder if it is related to coming from a northern country (Scandinavia) where ~1/4 of the year is really dark.

You may be the minority at least, but you also have to see it as having options. There's a big difference between having a room with a window and opting to close the curtains, and have no window at all. Most likely you also don't get depressed by working in a bright room, while others actually suffer if they have to little light.

I would guess that all Scandinavia countries have similar rules, and there's actually a minimum amount of light you're legally allowed to have in a room. The law in Denmark for instance actually require a room to be insanely bright.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#22

Post by dsfyu404ed » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 10:55 AM UTC

Tor3 wrote: post #7

In some civilized countries natural light is actually a requirement, by law. Not in the server closet etc, but in your office it is. You can, of course, adjust the curtains or whatever to get the exact amount you prefer (which typically changes throughout the day, as the sun passes)

Of all the thing that make me thing "there ought to be a law" natural light seems like it should be way down the priority list.

edit: And yes, I've worked in places with and without natural light, both white collar jobs and near minimum wage jobs. Comfortable temperature for the amount of physical activity I'm being asked to do and a comfortable amount of space in which to work are both a million times more important and the former only requires pushing some buttons or turning a dial, not cutting a hole in the side of a building. If someone asked me what would make work suck less back when I worked in one of those jobs where I didn't get to any outdoor light (some of those jobs didn't even suck) natural light wouldn't have even been on my radar as an issue.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#23

Post by invalidusernam3 » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 10:56 AM UTC

For me, it's aircon

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#24

Post by cyxxon » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 10:57 AM UTC

pi-err wrote: post #17

sarabande wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which countries?

IIRC Germany sort of requires all offices to have direct natural light https://www.thelocal.de/galleries/lifestyle/top-ten-weird-ge...

While probably true (not checking the real law right now), that list is weirdly misleading. For example it's not forbidden to drill on a sunday or tune your piano at night, you are simply not allowed to disturb other people too much at certain quiet times (e.g. Sunday or the night, so not totally unreasonable either). If you live remotely and nobody hears you, just go ahead. Side note: why would anyone consider it weird to actually have laws in place to protect workers from abusive employers? That's how it seems to be worded on that page...

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#25

Post by Tor3 » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 10:58 AM UTC

sarabande wrote: post #10

Tor3 wrote: post #7

In some civilized countries natural light is actually a requirement, by law. Not in the server closet etc, but in your office it is. You can, of course, adjust the curtains or whatever to get the exact amount you prefer (which typically changes throughout the day, as the sun passes)

Which countries?

>Which countries?

A lot of European countries, as far as I know. Not sure if it's all of them. But others have replied, so we know about Denmark (and it's the same in the other Scandinavian countries, probably all the Nordic countries, i.e. Scandinavia + Finland and Iceland), Germany, possibly Spain (not sure), Netherlands, ..

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#26

Post by zyberzero » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 10:59 AM UTC

sarabande wrote: post #10

Tor3 wrote: post #7

In some civilized countries natural light is actually a requirement, by law. Not in the server closet etc, but in your office it is. You can, of course, adjust the curtains or whatever to get the exact amount you prefer (which typically changes throughout the day, as the sun passes)

Which countries?

Sweden as well.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#27

Post by mooss » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 11:01 AM UTC

sarabande wrote: post #10

Tor3 wrote: post #7

In some civilized countries natural light is actually a requirement, by law. Not in the server closet etc, but in your office it is. You can, of course, adjust the curtains or whatever to get the exact amount you prefer (which typically changes throughout the day, as the sun passes)

Which countries?

I did an internship last year which consisted in writing unit tests for a raytracing library that was among other things - I was told - used to determine if buildings were on paper getting enough sunlight according to european standards.

I'm not sure whether they were talking about EU regulations or about the regulations of specific european countries.

Edit: typos

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#28

Post by dithering » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 11:04 AM UTC

mooss wrote: post #27

sarabande wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which countries?

I did an internship last year which consisted in writing unit tests for a raytracing library that was among other things - I was told - used to determine if buildings were on paper getting enough sunlight according to european standards. I'm not sure whether they were talking about EU regulations or about the regulations of specific european countries. Edit: typos

From my basement in London: Probably specific countries.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#29

Post by mlthoughts2018 » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 11:06 AM UTC

Every day I am the first to show up at my company, and I get maybe ~ 1 hour of nice, quiet work time with low lighting from the windows with overhead lights off.

Then the second person who comes in every day shows up and flips all the overhead lights on every god damn day.

When I’m working and the lights flip, I get a sense of rage and depression. I think it will be the reason why I quit this job.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#30

Post by hvidgaard » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 11:06 AM UTC

Aaargh20318 wrote: post #5

We just moved into a new office and one of the best things about it is that we now have small offices and I can keep the curtains closed and the lights off all day. Why would you want more light, especially natural light ? I never open my curtains at home either.

Using a computer screen in a lit room is far better for your eyes than using it in dark room. Natural light is a necessity for preventing myopia in developing eyes.