How IAQ Affects Employee Productivity and Wellbeing

If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, you’ve probably heard someone say they’re “allergic to work.” You might even experience the phenomenon yourself. You wake up feeling bright-eyed and rested, ready to tackle your day. But as soon as you walk into your office, your eyes water, you sneeze, and you start getting a headache. While you may not actually be allergic to your job, your office’s indoor air quality is impacting your productivity. If you’re a building manager, good indoor air quality can make your building more appealing to tenants. 

What is Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?

IAQ refers to the quality of air within a building or an enclosed structure. When you’re outside, it’s easy to judge air quality, because you can see smog, smoke, and other pollutants that impact the air. 

Common pollutants including mold, dust, and volatile organic compounds hang out indoors and impact the air quality. Poor IAQ can negatively impact your employees, particularly if they’re working in a building with bad air quality every day. High IAQ keeps your employees healthy and productive. 

Common Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

Now that people aren’t really allowed to smoke in indoor spaces, every building has great air quality, right? Not exactly. Most buildings, regardless of age, can have an indoor air quality problem due to one or more of these sources. 

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

VOCs are chemicals that vaporize and hang around in the air. If you’ve ever painted your house or bought new furniture, you are acquainted with VOCs. They are responsible for the fumes that make you dizzy until you’ve aired out your house. In an office building or other commercial building, VOCs come from paint, varnish, cleaning products, markers, glue, and even air fresheners.

Air conditioners and HVAC systems can also release VOCs because of poor ventilation. If your ventilation system doesn’t purify outside air before bringing it in, you’re also pumping outdoor air pollutants into your office. 

Office Equipment as Pollutants

Copiers, printers, and other office equipment also release VOCs and other particulates into the air. These machines usually contain flame retardants that keep them from burning down the office but also release small particles into the air. Some office equipment even releases carbon dioxide or ozone. 

Building Materials and Their Contributions

You’re probably familiar with how building materials including brick and concrete pollute the air as they break down and release particles into the air, particularly in old buildings. But there are plenty of other culprits in your office. Plywood and other pressed wood products such as desks, shelves, and other furniture release VOCs into the air. Flame retardants in insulation also cast off gas. Other sources of indoor air pollution include ceiling tiles, flooring, adhesives, and carpeting. 

Health Effects of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Since so many parts of your office are releasing VOCs into the air, it’s no wonder you’re allergic to work. It’s not in your head. 

Short-Term Health Effects

In the short-term, poor IAQ causes coughing, sneezing, and runny noses. It can also trigger asthma attacks. If you’re in a building with poor IAQ, your eyes may water or you could get an irritated or sore throat. You’re also more likely to get a headache, feel dizzy, or experience fatigue. One or more of these symptoms is a sign of sick building syndrome, a phenomenon in which a building makes you sick. 

Long-Term Health Risks

If you’re working in a building with bad IAQ every day, you risk long-term health hazards. Over time, poor air quality can lead to lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. Poor indoor air quality also impacts your brain. Long-term exposure can affect your ability to concentrate. It can also make you more prone to depression and anxiety. An office environment can already be stressful, and poor indoor air quality at work can make it worse. 

How Employers Benefit from Good IAQ

Bad air quality at work impacts your employees. Committing to improving your IAQ can benefit your company. 

Increased Employee Satisfaction and Reduced Turnover

Indoor air contaminants and other workplace hazards can lower morale. Supporting your employees with good IAQ, proper lighting, and well-ventilated workspaces helps them feel energized. This can boost morale and reduce turnover since your employees have the resources they need to focus. 

Reduced Sick Days and Healthcare Costs

You know some of your employees will get sick during cold and flu season. However, if you’re seeing a high number of people taking sick days, check your indoor air quality at work. Employees experiencing the short-term effects of poor IAQ may think they have a cold or another virus, causing them to call in. If multiple employees are suffering short and long-term consequences of poor environmental quality and seeing doctors, you could end up paying higher health insurance premiums. 

Legal and Compliance Benefits

The United States Occupational Safety Administration (OSHA) requires you to provide a safe work environment, including a well-ventilated workplace with good air quality. Making sure you have proper ventilation systems and knowing how to check air quality at work will help you comply with these standards. Failing to provide high-quality indoor environments could put you at risk of fines and potential lawsuits from employees who are sensitive to indoor air contaminants. 

Take Control of Your Workplace Air Quality Today

Understanding how to test air quality at work is the first step toward creating a safe and inviting workplace. Attune gives you real-time visibility into your indoor air quality by monitoring contaminant levels. Use it to test your ventilation systems and fix them if you notice IAQ levels deteriorating. 

We offer solutions that let you collect long-term data to assess your indoor air quality at work over time. You can identify poor air quality and solve the problem before it starts impacting your employees. Attune provides a full range of sensors that measure VOCs, humidity, temperature, CO2, and other information that helps you monitor your IAQ. 

You can customize analytics and monitor the data you need to keep your employees healthy and energized. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.