Air Quality and Office Productivity

Many businesses strive to keep their employees healthy and energized because these factors contribute to productivity. These businesses may install coffee makers in the break room, provide food, offer free gym memberships or equipment for employees to use, or—if Google—provide slides between floors and hidden staircases. While these office features (slides?) certainly contribute to employee productivity, the atmosphere of the office is also dictated by a factor that cannot be ignored—the atmosphere of the office.

As detailed by PubMed, which features the online U.S. National Library of Medicine, poor indoor air quality has been shown to negatively impact productivity. In 1999, the first of a series of experiments finding a relationship between air quality and work performance were published, showing that not only do raised levels of indoor air pollution affect productivity, but they also have negative effects on comfort and health.

According to Linde van den Brink, a Sodexo consultant, productivity can be increased by 15% with better air quality. Van den Brink says “Where working conditions are in good order, employees perform tasks better and more swiftly.”

The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that US businesses lose $60 billion per year due to lost productivity having to do with preventable health-related absenteeism. By installing, managing, and upgrading IAQ (indoor air quality) products, you will not only be getting more out of your employees, but you will find that using these devices lowers the costs of operating your building as well. Efficient air filters reduce energy bills annually, so not only will your employees be healthier and more productive, so will your business account.

Your office air quality is as good as your air filtration system, so always replace any old or outdated air filters to keep your employees healthy, happy, and productive!