Air quality in the workplace and employee wellness

Although many companies put effort into helping employees feel comfortable in the workplace, air quality might be overlooked. Yet poor air quality can lead to a number of health issues and impact work productivity.

Common indoor air pollutants include dust, mold, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and chemical contaminants from cleaning products or office equipment. These pollutants can trigger breathing problems, allergies and asthma.

What affects office air quality?

Several individual factors combine to determine the indoor office air quality. Those elements may include:

• Ventilation
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Contaminants, including mold, dust and chemicals
• Emissions from manufacturing processes
• Outdoor air quality and pollution

If one or more of those components is poor, it may affect the overall air quality in the office. Some aspects may also cause other health concerns. For instance, poor ventilation can contribute to humidity issues, and humidity may promote mold growth.

Effects of air quality on employees

The physical work environment influences how your employees feel, which affects their work performance. Poor air quality can cause the following effects:

• Health concerns: Poor air quality can affect health, causing uncomfortable symptoms. Stagnant air in the office could cause viruses and bacteria to linger, resulting in more illnesses or absenteeism among your team.
• Productivity: Unhealthy work environments can decrease productivity if employees feel uncomfortable or unwell. Some pollutants could affect cognitive functioning or interfere with focus.

How to improve indoor air quality in office spaces

Most workplaces likely have room for improvement with office air quality by incorporating small adjustments. To figure out how to improve air quality in office spaces, follow these steps.

Perform air testing

While some office air quality issues are easy to recognize, not all issues are visible. Air testing often reveals additional issues to identify the source of the problems. If you are experiencing high humidity in your office, an air quality expert can tell you why.

Along with one-time testing, ongoing air quality monitoring helps you monitor the situation, alerting you to new or recurring issues. Consider implementing ongoing testing as air quality improvement is a continuous effort.

Address specific issues

Once you know what’s causing issues with the air quality in the workplace, work to correct those problems. Restricted airflow from your heating and cooling system may limit ventilation and air circulation. Contact a commercial HVAC professional to correct the airflow problems to get the air moving in the office. That could reduce humidity, create consistency with the temperature and help remove contaminants from the air.

Establish healthy air policies

Your company policies outline your expectations for employee behavior and work processes. Changes in those areas often improve office air quality. Examples of policies to consider implementing may include:

• Smoke-free workplace
• Changes to processes that use chemicals or other air contaminants
• Restrictions on chemicals
• Guidelines for selecting furniture, materials and other items to minimize off-gassing
• Maintenance and cleaning protocols

Evaluate your current policies and procedures and make the necessary changes to improve the air around the office.

Maintain the heating and cooling system

A building’s HVAC system plays a role in air quality. Maintaining the system allows it to perform those functions, including:

• Air circulation: HVAC systems draw air into the main unit where it’s heated or cooled. The system pushes it back into the office, which keeps a regular flow of air going.
• Filtration: During the process of heating and cooling, the HVAC system filters the air to remove particles. When it comes out of the vents, it should be cleaner. Changing the filters regularly allows for proper filtration.
• Temperature control: An efficient, maintained HVAC system keeps the office at a consistent, comfortable temperature.
• Humidity control: Heating and cooling systems also help control humidity. When the air conditioning runs, the system helps remove excess moisture from the air. HVAC systems allow for integrated humidifiers and dehumidifiers if you need additional moisture control.

Improve air circulation

Proper airflow and ventilation bring in a continuous stream of fresh air and dilute the contaminants in the office air. Specific ventilation options in the workplace depend on the setup of the building and the systems you have in place. Possible options include:

• Opening windows to bring in fresh air from outside
• Upgrading HVAC systems to improve airflow
• Keeping HVAC vents and air returns free from blockages
• Installing new ventilation systems
• Installing and using ventilation fans

Separate work areas

Manufacturing, packaging and shipping goods often create air contaminants that decrease the air quality in the workplace. These processes might produce dust and fumes that spread to other areas.

Creating separation between workspaces confines those contaminants to certain areas. That might mean relocating other workstations, building walls between work areas or improving the seals around doors between the spaces. Using protective gear and installing special ventilation systems in those areas helps protect workers who handle those tasks.

Install air purifiers

Commercial air cleaning systems filter particles from the air, improving the overall quality. Systems vary on what particles and contaminants they remove from the air. Work with a professional to choose and install an appropriate system based on the pollutants present in your workplace.

Improve your cleaning protocols

Cleaning impacts air quality by removing dust and other contaminants. However, the cleaning products you use could negatively affect the air quality if they’re packed with harsh chemicals. Start by reviewing your cleaning processes, which may vary based on your company’s size and the industry. Identify potential triggers within that system, such as harsh chemicals that could cause respiratory issues.

You might also need to increase your cleaning frequency. Cleaning often removes dust, pollen and other debris from shared office spaces. If you don’t have the workforce to handle cleaning, consider hiring a cleaner to complete the tasks. Choose a company that uses gentle cleaning products if you’re reducing the types of chemicals introduced into the office.

FAQs about office air quality

Is poor air quality an OSHA violation?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ensures safe working environments for employees, but OSHA doesn’t have general air quality standards for the workplace. However, the organization does set standards for ventilation and air contaminants. Because those issues relate to air quality, your organization could be in violation of OSHA standards. It also recommends a temperature range between 68 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit and a humidity range between 20% and 60%.

What are signs of poor air quality in the workplace?

Some air quality issues produce signs you can feel or see, such as dry or humid air, an uncomfortable temperature, seeing mold or feeling no airflow in the office. Some air quality issues cause physical symptoms in building occupants, including headache, dizziness, sneezing, runny nose, nausea and dryness of the mucous membranes. If employees complain about these symptoms, especially if they only experience them at work, you may have an air quality problem.