How Proper Commercial Ventilation Can Improve Employee Productivity
Happy workers are more productive workers. Harvard Business School’s review of hundreds of studies shows the same result. Positive employee well-being boosts productivity by about 10%. When companies implement changes to support well-being, employees tend to be happier, profits grow, and staff turnover decreases.
What specifically improves employees’ well-being and happiness? Several things drive well-being.
- A comfortable work environment
- Fair wages and benefit packages
- Feeling respected by management and coworkers
- Opportunities for growth and development
- Purposeful work (work has value to others)
- Recognition
- Sense of belonging
- Strong leadership
- Trust
- Work-life balance
Unhappy workers are more likely to get distracted or seek other job opportunities. How much are you wasting on interviewing, onboarding, and training because no one stays? If your workers are not comfortable, it’s hard to stay focused. The air quality and climate in your factory, office, or building matter more than you might think.
What Research Shows About Stuffy Air and Productivity
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health studied the impacts of air quality on productivity for a full year. The study covered various types of commercial businesses across architecture, engineering, real estate, and technology.
The study involved over 300 workers aged 18 to 65. They worked for commercial businesses in China, India, Mexico, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Two things were measured in this study. Particulate matter (PM) is the tiny particles in the air from things like dust, pollen, smoke, and industrial or diesel exhaust. You may not see them, but they’re floating in the air, and with each breath you take, you’re breathing them in.
When PM particles are smaller than 2.5 micrometers in size, they’re often able to sneak through the body and get deeper into tissue, where they can trigger inflammation that triggers allergies, asthma, and reduced lung function.
Researchers increased fine particulate matter to PM2.5 or higher and reduced ventilation, thereby increasing CO2 levels. Poor air quality negatively impacted productivity time and time again. Workers had slower response times and worsening performance on cognitive tests.
The decreased cognitive function occurred with all age groups, not just older workers. Improving air quality is just one small measure a company can take to enhance employee well-being, which in turn benefits productivity.
Poor Air Quality Often Increases Sick Days
A commercial building with high PM counts and poor airflow also makes some workers sick. Fine particulate matter gets deep into the lungs and tissue, where it triggers inflammatory responses that impact your health in different ways.
- Cardiovascular – Inflammation from chronic exposure to fine particulate matter increases the risk of arrhythmias, heart attacks, or stroke in people with pre-existing heart disease.
- Developmental and Reproductive – Women who are pregnant may experience preterm birth or have infants with low birth weight.
- Neurologic – There is evidence that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
- Systemic – Finally, inflammation from fine particulate matter is also tied to gastrointestinal and renal health issues.
Whenever a worker takes unexpected sick leave, you’re responsible for arranging coverage. You don’t have much time to plan, and since the worker plans to return, you can’t just hire someone else and move forward. You must comply with the FMLA.
If it’s proven that the air within the workplace is unsafe, you also risk lawsuits or higher workers’ comp insurance premiums. OSHA doesn’t have specific rules regarding air quality, but it does require that the workplace be free of hazards that could cause serious physical harm. Some industries have ventilation standards that mandate exhaust systems to remove carbon monoxide and other chemical contaminants, including hundreds of toxic substances.
That only covers full days off or extended sick leave. There are also micro-absences, in which a worker arrives ready for the day, but hours later, a bad migraine or severe allergy symptoms appear. The worker leaves halfway through the day, resulting in half a day’s production being lost. Tasks go unfinished.
Temperature and Humidity Matter, Too
If a building is too hot or cold, that also impacts productivity. One OSHA guideline is to prevent heat stress by keeping indoor temperatures at 68ºF to 76ºF.
Temperature is just one part of comfort. Humidity inside a building can make it feel hotter than it is. In winter, a humid room might seem cooler than the thermostat’s reading. Ideally, you want to stay within OSHA’s recommended range of 20% to 60%.
Humidity is also important for workers with severe allergies or asthma. Dust mites thrive in humidity levels above 50%, so maintaining humidity between 50% and 60% could worsen allergies.
Partnering with a commercial HVAC company to enhance your indoor air quality benefits your bottom line, increases worker satisfaction, and boosts productivity. It’s a win-win situation.
Improve Productivity With Commercial Ventilation Solutions
Standard commercial HVAC systems may not meet your business’s needs. It doesn’t matter how many workers are in the building; the system only runs when it’s too cold or too hot, and it runs to ensure the temperature matches the thermostat.
Instead of a traditional HVAC system, consider some of the latest technology that enhances your air quality throughout the day, whenever and wherever it’s needed.
Demand-controlled ventilation systems have built-in sensors that monitor changes in air quality. If many workers are in a meeting room for a quarterly meeting, sensors detect rising CO2 levels and activate fans to bring in more outdoor air.
Install IAQ sensors that monitor particulate matter, humidity, temperature, CO2, and VOC levels throughout your building. Send the measurements to the software that identifies low-airflow areas. Add fans or air purifiers in those specific zones to enhance air quality and boost productivity.
What filters do you use in your commercial HVAC system? Talk to the experts at Air Blue to see whether your system can still operate efficiently with advanced filtration, such as a MERV 13 HEPA filter. High-efficiency filters cost more, but they offer better protection.
Germicidal UV lights are a significant advancement in HVAC technology. You’ve had a dozen workers in one department out with the flu. UV lights in the HVAC system kill the virus, preventing it from spreading through the ducts to other areas. UV lamps also eliminate bacteria, fungi, and mold.
Schedule an AirAdvice Indoor Air Analysis with Air Blue to discover ways to improve the air in your offices or other commercial spaces. Breathing clean air is essential for keeping your employees healthy, happy, and productive.
We’ll offer tips on what else you can do. It might be time to upgrade to a more efficient commercial HVAC system that improves air quality, or to install a higher-quality filter. We have the answers you need, so give us a call.
