Of all the things you think about when managing an office business, air quality is probably nowhere near the top of your list. It’s not something that immediately jumps out as a major issue, yet it can be.
All employers need to turn their attention to air quality right away. It has a massive impact on your business operations in multiple ways. Specifically, we’re talking about the impact of poor air quality in the office. What does this do to your business – and why do you need to tackle it?
Work-Related Illnesses
Employers are aware that work-related injuries are a major concern. You spend a lot of time and money improving the health & safety of your office to reduce the risk of trips, falls, and any other hazards that can cause injuries.
However, do you spend as much attention on work-related illnesses? If an employee gets sick at work, they’re more than entitled to find a workers’ compensation attorney and sue for damages – if their sickness was caused by the working conditions.
Poor air quality can directly result in many of the following health issues:
- Allergic reactions
- Chronic rhinitis (blocked nasal passages)
- Asthma
- Other breathing problems
Therefore, if your employees start developing any of these problems – and they figure out it’s because of the work environment – you’re in big trouble. Especially if a pattern emerges and 90% of the office suddenly has allergies or asthma.
You must implement strategies that clearly show you’re improving the air quality, such as:
- Investing in an HVAC system
- Opening the windows
- Installing air purifiers around the office
Here, there is reasonable evidence that you are working hard to provide a good work environment with clean air and excellent ventilation. It’ll be a lot harder to prove that any illnesses stem from your office in this situation. As such, you can avoid legal issues.
Productivity – Or A Lack Thereof
Air quality in an office is strongly linked to workplace productivity.
When the office is well-ventilated and the air feels clean, people will be more efficient and productive every day. There was a study that confirmed low ventilation negatively impacts cognitive function and can make it harder for employees to focus on tasks.
Some of the main reasons for this could be:
- A lack of fresh air causing light-headedness in employees
- Poor air quality causing a mental distraction and stopping people from focusing
On the other hand, when office ventilation is great and the air quality is strong, you don’t see these issues. Employees have one less thing on their minds – one less distraction to stop them from doing work.
With all of this in mind, it should be clear why all employers need to focus on air quality in the office. It may sound like an innocuous thing, but poor air quality has a negative impact on productivity and can cause costly work-related sickness. Put more effort into creating a great work environment by focusing on air quality and keeping your office nicely ventilated with fresh air coursing through.