Good air quality is pivotal to employee comfort and enhanced productivity. Maintaining a clean space with healthy air lowers employee absenteeism rates and helps with cognitive performance. Investing in quality air has a ripple effect that positively affects employees and the entire business. It helps attract and keep top talent and shows employees that the company values their health, which improves morale and output.
Learn more about how air quality can aid employee productivity and what you can do to improve the air in the workplace.
How Air Quality Improves Employee Productivity
Good air quality boosts productivity in the workplace by improving cognitive performance, mood and wellness. Research shows that poor air quality is associated with reduced accuracy and slower response times. Here are the benefits of good air quality in the workplace:
- Increased productivity: Clean air helps employees think clearly, work more efficiently and enjoy the environment more. It boosts productivity and helps increase well-thought-out decisions, essential for work output.
- Reduced stress: Keeping the workspace clean and hygienic promotes better air quality, which can help relieve tension and encourage productivity. It may also lower stress in employees who are anxious about catching a cold or flu.
- Elevated energy: Clean air makes the work environment more comfortable, resulting in better attitudes, higher motivation and better output. Inhaling fresh air makes employees feel more alert and awake.
- Aids compliance: Some regulations dictate acceptable air quality in commercial spaces so ensuring the air is clean can help companies meet these standards.
- Better health: Good air quality with adequate ventilation helps lower infectious disease transmission, leading to fewer sick days and higher productivity.
How to Improve Workplace Air Quality
Offices can get dirty quickly and all the dust paired with small cubicles can rapidly accumulate stale air full of debris and other particulate matter. Good quality air creates a cleaner workplace more conducive to productivity. Here are the top ways to improve air quality:
Use Air Filters and Purifiers
Clean air enhances concentration and cognitive function and air filters and purifiers are excellent tools for this purpose. They help foster a more pleasant environment that improves employee morale and makes the workspace more enjoyable.
Installing a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is one of the best options for maintaining clean air. It can capture particulate matter like pollen, hazardous dust and other pollutants. HEPA filters may reduce the spread of certain respiratory illnesses, which could help employees stay healthy during flu season.
Air purifiers are also an excellent addition to filters and natural ventilation. They can trap allergens like pollen and dust mites, which may reduce allergic reactions and help sensitive employees through pollen-high seasons.
Improve Natural Ventilation
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), ventilation is an essential engineering control that industrial hygienists must implement to maintain workplace air quality. Ventilation is about controlling the air quality in an area using airflow.
Ventilation systems can help lower the level of pollutants and create a more pleasant and safe environment for employees. By letting in natural light and fresh air, they also save companies money on energy and cooling.
Ventilation can improve mental health in a work environment where employees spend a lot of time indoors. Natural ventilation through open windows and doors can help workers feel more connected to the outdoors while they work, which improves their mood. Natural lighting may also help reduce eye strain and boost energy.
Avoid Chemical-Heavy Cleaning Products
Maintaining a clean space is crucial for good office air quality, but harsh, chemical-heavy products can worsen it. These cleaning supplies release harmful compounds, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They vaporize at room temperature and inhaling them can irritate the throat, eyes and nose, affecting productivity. They may also cause difficulty breathing and some variants have been linked to cancer.
Check the cleaning products used in the workspace to ensure they contain no harmful compounds. Here are some of the cleaning products that can make the air toxic or create poor air quality:
- Chlorine bleach
- Air fresheners
- Dry cleaning products
- Furniture and floor polish
- Rug cleaners
A convenient way to ensure the safety of cleaning products is to use The Facilities Group, which exclusively uses eco-friendly solutions for all cleaning services. Eco-friendly products maintain a clean space and good-quality air and help keep your employees happy and healthy.
Dust and Vacuum Regularly
Dusting and vacuuming keep a workplace clean and polished, improve air quality and help prevent respiratory symptoms. It’s essential to maintaining good air quality, which boosts productivity. Here are the top benefits of dusting and vacuuming regularly:
- Prevents mold: Spills, dirt and moisture can collect and spread fungus on a large scale, negatively affecting your employees’ health and resulting in more absenteeism. Regular vacuuming can prevent moisture and dirt from accumulating and causing mold-related issues.
- Enhances furniture and appliance longevity: Dust, pollen and mold spores can collect on furniture and appliances. Not only will the dirt accumulation affect the air quality, but you will also need to replace these items more quickly. Dusting appliances and vacuuming furniture can prevent the buildup of mold and other particles that could travel around the office air.
- Reduces dust accumulation: Dust can accumulate on surfaces and become particles in the air without regular dusting and vacuuming. This can cause respiratory issues like sneezing and trigger allergies in sensitive employees. Dusting and vacuuming consistently prevent buildup and keep the air clean.
- Eliminates potentially harmful particles: Dirt, dust and moisture can build up in hard-to-reach areas or spaces that don’t usually get sufficient ventilation, like light fixtures. Dusting these areas prevents the buildup of these particles, which could negatively affect air quality.
Keep Humidity Levels Low
An office space with high humidity levels, especially over 50 degrees Fahrenheit, invites fungal growth and mold. If left untreated, the mold can cause a musty odor, affecting employees’ moods and reducing productivity. High humidity levels can trigger respiratory conditions in sensitive workers and cause poor air quality, increasing absenteeism.
High humidity levels create an uncomfortable environment that’s not ideal for retaining top talent. Here are some of the best ways to lower humidity in the workplace to a comfortable range:
- Maintain air conditioning systems
- Clean vents regularly
- Install a dehumidifier
- Clean spills and seal leaks
- Use air filters
Get Professional Cleaning Services From TFG
At TFG, we specialize in keeping your work environments clean, comfortable and safe. We offer janitorial services, specialty cleaning, construction clean up and emergency services for single and multisite clients across various fields.
We can keep your corporate or commercial buildings clean and safe year-round. Our services are available nationally and we can scale them according to your needs. All you have to do is connect with us and we’ll take care of the rest.
