Paying attention to indoor air quality, or IAQ, is an essential part of maintaining an adequate work environment. It's undoubtedly important to do things like give your employees access to ergonomic office chairs or ensure that their workloads are manageable. But, IAQ also plays a definitive role in how well your employees can get things done. Here are three reasons why you should make improving IAQ a priority this year.

1. Increase Employee Productivity

Image via Flickr by Thomas Guest
Employee productivity typically has a substantial effect on how able your company is to meet its goals and keep clients satisfied. Researchers determined a link between air quality and productivity, studying people working in simulated environments where scientists altered the carbon dioxide levels.

The results showed that employees did better on cognitive tasks when working in environments with reduced emissions and better ventilation. You may not initially see the connection between IAQ and productivity, but this research emphasizes the link.

Moreover, consider how employees might be more likely to get sick or suffer from allergies while working in an environment that has poor IAQ. If your company is continually short-staffed due to bad air quality, the rest of your team could suffer from the increased workloads brought on by employee absences.

2. Better Indoor Air Quality Could Save Money

It's likely that you'll notice financial benefits after focusing on improving your business's air quality. Consider how dirty air filters could contribute to less-than-ideal air quality. In that case, your climate control system works harder than it should to keep the office at a desirable temperature. When people mention complaints about IAQ, the temperature is one thing they often bring up.

You could also discover that when workers are not content with the current air temperature or the amount of airflow in a building, they may increase a company's electrical bills by using things like ceiling fans or desk fans more often than they would if the building's current climate control system was better maintained to support high indoor air quality.

3. Improving IAQ Is Easier Than You May Think

Another reason to think seriously about enhancing the IAQ at your business is that you can make noticeable improvements without spending a lot. Some of the available air quality technologies to consider include air purifiers and UV air cleaners.
  • You can even make progress by buying plants that help clean the air. Plants make the workplace look more pleasant and could help people breathe easier.
  • If you need help figuring out where to start with IAQ improvement measures, consider working with a company that specializes in assessing businesses and giving advice on which things to target first. Also, don't be discouraged if such an audit reveals more issues than anticipated.
  • The most important thing is that you've committed to making IAQ better for employees. Understanding more about the IAQ problems at your business is the first step to solving them.