Let’s face it, employee performance is a crucial element to consider for maintaining a high level of productivity and keeping a business’s operational gears turning.
Every business owner should strive to ensure that they’re doing all they can to motivate employees to carry on work effectively and efficiently. This, naturally, includes cleaning up the environment from pollutants and contaminants that can get in the way of employees reaching their fullest potential.
While clean air may seem like a forethought when running a growing business, it can actually be a big factor in influencing business performance. Studies show that high levels of CO2 within an office space can decrease employee productivity by up to 9%. This diminished value could mean your business is delivering output inefficiently, leading to a higher cost-to-output ratio.
So this begs the question: what can business owners do to improve poor air circulation within their business premises? If you’re asking this very question, then you’re in the right place. This article will give you some insights on how you can keep indoor air fresh and employees happy and healthy.
Let’s jump right into it!
6 Signs of Poor Air Circulation In Your Office
Before addressing poor air circulation in your business’s location, it’s crucial to know the signs that your space is facing poor air circulation in the first place.
Here are a couple of signs of poor indoor air circulation to watch out for when assessing air quality:
- Stale air: When air feels stuffy and humid in the building interior, this can contribute to increased employee unproductivity.
- Frequent headaches: If you or your employees experience headaches more frequently, this could signal poor air quality indoors.
- Uneven indoor temperature: If different areas of a room face different indoor temperatures, this could signal poor air distribution.
- Persistent odours: If foul odours linger longer than they should, then this could mean that air circulation in the office is suboptimal.
- Condensation: When windows show condensation, this could be a sign of poor ventilation.
- Employees calling in sick more frequently: If employees complain about respiratory ailments and are skipping work because of it, this could be a sign of an unhealthy indoor environment at the office.
If your business is currently facing one or several of these issues, then this could indicate poor air circulation in your commercial space. The next best thing you should do is to address this issue by finding ways to clean the air in your office space so that you and your employees—especially the more vulnerable ones—can breathe freely and easily.
Unsure of how to clean indoor air? Then read below for some tips on keeping indoor air quality at pristine levels.
How to Keep Indoor Air Clean
Maintaining good air quality indoors is foundational in keeping your workforce happy and productive.
It’s not only about ensuring your employees are in top health, but it also ensures that your working environment is free from contaminants and pollutants that could affect product quality.
Here are some ways you can keep your indoor air quality in good shape:
- Install Proper Ventilation in Key Areas of the Space
One surefire way to maintain clean airflow in your office premises is by installing a dedicated ventilation system. Ventilation systems promote the inflow and outflow of air, keeping indoor air fresh and well-circulated.
This is optimal for several reasons.
When air remains stagnant, it could harbour bacteria and unwanted odours. This not only promotes a stuffy and uncomfortable indoor environment, but it also poses health risks to your employees—especially vulnerable ones with pre-existing respiratory conditions. Vents also help maintain an optimal temperature within your commercial space’s interior.
Ventilation systems come in two different types: passive and mechanical. A mechanical ventilation system can suck indoor air through an exhaust pipe. When combined with a filtered air intake mechanism, this can keep indoor air quality at good levels as long as it’s operating.
On the other hand, a passive ventilation system operates without needing power. These vents help circulate air throughout the day and night, keeping indoor air quality at high levels. For instance, louvre vents in rooftops achieve this airflow mechanism because it’s a dedicated structure positioned in a place where stagnant air tends to accumulate—the ceiling.
If you’re interested in getting passive ventilation for your business office, consider getting a roof vent installation with Airocle.
- Improve Indoor Layout for Airflow Efficiency
Air circulation isn’t just dependent on vents; your workspace’s layout can contribute greatly to how air flows around your office space. As such, it’s important to be conscious of your indoor layout so that you can promote airflow, not restrict it.
A poor layout can create pockets of stagnant air inside your building. An example of a poor layout is one wherein large furniture is placed in front of or directly below vents or windows. Another example of a poor layout is one that’s cramped and overcrowded with a low ceiling.
If you’re facing an indoor layout efficiency problem, then consider actively working towards remedying the issue. Adjust furniture placement to allow air to flow freely indoors with minimal obstruction. You should also consider replacing certain furniture or equipment altogether if they’re getting in the way of an airy and comfortable office.
- Prop up Air Purifiers to Promote Better Indoor Quality
If your indoor space still feels stuffy even with ventilation systems in place, consider propping up some air purifiers to improve air quality.
One excellent air purifier you can put up around your office is plants. Consider putting a few ones in strategic areas around the office, like near people’s workstations or near windows. Plants are excellent air purifiers, naturally filtering airborne toxins and absorbing carbon dioxide in the air. Peace lilies, pothos, and snake plants are some good ones to consider.
Alternatively, you can also invest in a dedicated air purifier to improve indoor air quality. Choose a unit that is appropriately sized for your space to ensure it can effectively filter the volume of air in the room and keep your space clean.
- Encourage Healthy Workplace Practices
Lastly, but just as importantly, is to encourage your employees to adopt habits that can support their health while in the workplace.
For instance, you can tell your employees to clean their space and keep it free from potential pollutants that could cause foul odours when left over time, like food scraps or strong chemicals.
You could also encourage them to open windows during key times of the day, like in the morning or in the middle of the day. This helps ensure that the indoor environment stays comfortable and productive for everyone.
We hope that we’ve given you enough insights to help you improve indoor air quality in your business. All the best!
