air quality

8 Ways to Improve Office Air Quality for Better Employee Health

Improve the air quality in your office with these eight simple measures.

We tend to believe that air pollution is something from outside. We assume that pollution is the haze hanging in the air—the smoke and the odor. The truth, however, is that offices, houses, and other buildings can get polluted from the inside. In fact, the interior can get more polluted than the outside.

Imagine the damage to health you and your employees might suffer from an office that has poor air quality! You don’t want employees to develop headaches, coughs, fevers, or chronic respiratory issues. Avoid these problems in these eight easy ways.

1. Ensure Air Vents Are Open and Unblocked

Some offices don’t have windows, and fresh air is supplied through air vents. However, blocked vents can prevent air from circulating.

Ensure that vents are not blocked by furniture and make sure they are cleaned regularly. Otherwise, dust will circulate in the office and affect everyone there.

2. Maintain a Good Level of Humidity

To keep mold, dust mites, and other allergens at bay, keep air humidity level between 30% to 50%.

Do this by investing in a high-quality air conditioning system or dehumidifier in order to control humidity levels effectively. Remember that people can develop conditions like COPD by breathing bad air for a long time. Therefore, consider using a portable oxygen concentrator if you’re serious about your health.

3. Use a Proper Matting System

Surprisingly, an effective matting system will also improve air quality. It does this by protecting entryways from dust and particles by trapping them. Furthermore, it will save your maintenance team from spending a lot of time cleaning and refinishing the floors.

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4. Live Plants Improve Air Quality

As do humans, plants also breathe. This helps with air circulation and improves air quality, as plants release oxygen into the air. However, you need to ensure that plants are well tended, with enough water and proper sunlight to allow them to thrive.

As an added benefit, moreover, placing plants around the office makes the place more attractive and inviting.

5. Smell Good Naturally

You probably make sure to use deodorant before leaving for work. However, what you might not know is that those synthetic fragrances emit various chemicals. Also, some laundry detergents, dryer sheets, solid air fresheners, and fabric softeners emit gasses, too. But not many people are aware of the harmful effects of those chemicals.

In fact, when fragrances are made, they are only tested on the human skin to note the possibility of skin irritation. However, the effects on humans of inhaling those fragrances are rarely tested.

Therefore, choose natural fragrances for your office and your person. Also, avoid carpet cleaning chemicals and air fresheners as well.

6. Avoid Excess Moisture

Accidents happen! Have you ever dropped a glass of water or a cup of coffee in the office? You must act immediately when beverages get spilled on the floor or a desk.

That’s because too much moisture facilitates mold and mildew. And this can affect the air quality in your office. Additionally, dealing with molds and their damage can be costly. But this is something you can avoid if you fix the problem right away.

7. Keep Your Office Clean

To dispose of the garbage accumulated in your office and reduce the amount of dust in the air, clean the office regularly and empty the dustbins. If you need to, hire professional cleaners to ensure you keep your office clean without a second thought.

Ensuring that your office is clean will keep most pollutants out of the air and improve air quality. On the other hand, a dirty office puts you and your employees at risk of becoming ill.

8. Ask Experts to Test Your Office Air Quality

Your employees’ health and well-being should be your highest concern. Therefore, have the air quality tested regularly. This will help you better understand the situation in your office.

After thorough testing of the vents and water storage, experts will also check for molds, odors, and leaks. Therefore, they will assist you in identifying problems so you can fix them.

Better Air Quality in Your Office Can Lead to Higher Profits

You spend the better part of your day in the office, and so do your employees. With better air quality in your office, your employees will be more productive. Employees will also have fewer sick leaves if you ensure they are inhaling fresh air. Better air quality in your office will lead to better results in your bottom line.