How Air Quality Affects Your Workplace

How Air Quality Negatively Affects Your Workplace

First, let’s look at how air quality can negatively affect your workplace. You might think that poor air quality only exists in places like mines or outdoor work. Black lung or dust inhalation are certainly problems, but poor air quality can affect all kinds of jobs.

In the safety and health section of their website, OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) says: 

“The quality of indoor air inside offices, schools, and other workplaces is important not only for workers' comfort but also for their health.”

How can indoor air quality (IAQ) negatively impact your health? Indoor workspaces frequently have poor air circulation. This leads to an increase in the amount of CO2, dust, and other particles building up over time. 

These things can worsen asthma, and cause or increase eye irritation. Upper respiratory infections such as colds are also more frequent and spread more quickly in these environments. 

Poor IAQ can even cause “sick building syndrome”. “Sick building syndrome” is where employees report experiencing illness in a building, but not while spending time away from it. 

The combination of these factors means that buildings with poor air quality report up to a 35% higher rate of sick days than similar buildings with a good IAQ.

How Air Quality Positively Affects Your Workplace

Aside from preventing these negative effects, good air quality brings a number of positives to the table. 

A study conducted by Harvard showed that workers in an environment with better IAQ are better decision makers. They found that workers in green-certified environments with a low level of CO2 scored higher on cognitive functioning tests. 

The scientists conducting the study estimated that the increased productivity from good IAQ could equate to roughly $6,500 per person a year in revenue. Meanwhile, new HVAC systems to implement IAQ usually cost around $40 per person.

The payoff is huge, because aside from increased productivity, you’re also likely to see a drop in absenteeism. Good IAQ makes working in a space more pleasant, and employees are less likely to call out from a place that’s pleasant to be in. 

Clients and customers will also notice the changes. Fresh, clean air gives people a good impression of your business. You probably know this from your own experiences. Walking into a business where the air is stuffy, too hot, or too cold makes you feel uneasy. Rather than wanting to stay and work with that business, you want to leave as fast as possible. 

Your employees and customers will feel the same way if your business has that stuffy, uncomfortable air. You’re proud of your business, and you want to give a good first impression. You probably make sure the physical parts of your office are clean and shiny. Air isn’t something you can touch, but it matters just as much. 

How To Improve Your IAQ

So how do you improve your IAQ? Well, there are a few steps you can take. 

First, get a humidifier or dehumidifier for your business. Humidity levels should be kept between 40% and 60% for the best IAQ. These levels are the perfect balance, because they’re comfortable to be in and they reduce the growth of mold, bacteria, and viruses.

Next, measure the CO2 levels of your office. CO2 levels higher than 700 parts per million (ppm) are associated with sluggishness and illnesses.

Finally, it might be time to invest in a new HVAC system. Many newer HVAC systems have options which allow you to save money on your electricity bill while improving your IAQ. If you’re curious about what steps you can take to improve your IAQ, call a professional for extra help.