Workers Want a Workplace that Prioritizes Better Indoor Air Quality

Change has been a constant over the last several years. Honeywell recently released findings from its 2023 Healthy Buildings Survey to understand how changes like more in-office work and a greater emphasis on the environment are impacting workers. The main takeaway: surveyed workers are concerned both about the quality of air inside their workspaces and the carbon footprint of the buildings in which they work.

As many office workers make their return to in-person work at least some or even all the time, expectations are changing. A vast majority (93%) of those surveyed have greater expectations for their building’s IAQ than they did three years ago. Similarly, as the world continues to shift its focus on climate change and impact on the environment, surveyed employees consider it urgent that their employer or facility manager take steps to mitigate their building’s carbon output.

The survey, which queried 2,500 office workers in buildings with 500-plus employees in several regions around the world, identifies changing employee expectations when it comes to the environment and their own well-being.

1.     Employees want and expect a healthier work environment. Employers should take note and act on this, not only to prevent attrition but also because a compelling majority of survey respondents (68%) feel that better indoor air in the workplace helps make them more productive and 49% say that it makes them more effective problem-solvers. Importantly, one in five of those surveyed (21%) say they would look for another role if their employer didn’t try to maintain a healthy indoor environment.

2.     Workers want transparency. One of the takeaways from this survey is that nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) consider it very to extremely important that their employer or building manager keep them informed about their building’s air quality – yet only 16% say their building’s IAQ is monitored continuously. When investing in IAQ technology, employers and building owners should think about how they want to communicate meaningful data with their employees, like installing dashboards in buildings that feature these metrics.

3.     Modern workers understand that were all on this planet together. Results from this year’s survey revealed that office workers have their eye on the “Big Picture” – what they can do to help mitigate climate change. Nearly three in four respondents (73%) consider it very to extremely important that their employer or facility manager take active measures to reduce their carbon footprint. Modern building management, systems along with advanced controls software, can both improve IAQ and help reduce carbon emissions.

Employees want to work in an office that takes a balanced approach when it comes to the quality of air they breathe and how their building affects the world around them. The good news is that these goals are no longer mutually exclusive and technologies exist to help make this a reality.

Honeywell’s ready now Healthy Buildings solutions can help improve occupant well-being, meet energy efficiency goals, and change how occupants experience a building. Talk to one of our experts today to discuss how you can find your building’s balanced approach when it comes to the environment and managing IAQ.

To read the full 2023 Honeywell Occupant Survey, click here.