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Increase Employee Productivity by up to 10% with a Healthy Work Environment

Unhealthy Work Environments Drain Your Pocketbook

The American College of Allergists reports that 50% of all illnesses are caused by polluted indoor air. According to the College, reducing the presence of particulate contaminants can prevent many common ailments like runny noses, sneezing, itchy eyes, sore throats, headaches and other symptoms triggered by allergens.

It’s easy to see how an unhealthy work environment directly affects a company’s bottom line. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that the U.S. economy loses up to $60 billion per year in lost productivity and increased sick leave time as a result of indoor air quality related illnesses.

That’s a staggering cost for the U.S. economy overall, but how are individual companies affected? Let’s look at an example: A typical company allocates 85% of their per-square-foot office costs toward employee expenses. Let's say that Company ABC’s employees cost $400,000 a year and occupy 2,000 square feet of space. That means that Company ABC spends about $200 per-square-foot per person.

Healthy work environments have been shown to raise employee productivity by approximately 10% through a reduction in sick days and improved employee attitudes. How would this affect Company ABC? A 10% productivity increase would result in a $20 per-square-foot per person increase in rental value.

Making Improvements that Make an Impact

What’s the best way to improve the health of your company’s work environment? Start by gathering a team, taking a stroll around your office space and identifying low-hanging fruit. There are two main areas where you should focus: (1) the building and its systems and (2) the interior furnishings of the building.

When evaluating your building, you’ll need to determine the efficiency and cleanliness of your HVAC system, as well as look for any building materials that may be off-gassing VOC’s or other contaminants. You may need to hire outside contractors to participate in your audit and make recommendations.

When looking at the interior furnishings, you’ll want to get the most bang for your buck by focusing on the materials that your employees come in contact with most frequently. Some materials may be known for off-gassing formaldehyde, VOC’s and other harmful chemicals. These items will need to be replaced with more environmentally-friendly materials as your budget allows. Other materials may just need a routine cleaning to remove particulate contaminants like dust mites, pollen, bacteria, and mold spores. Don’t forget items like office chairs and other furniture, carpet, workstation panels, etc.

You should also create corporate policies that encourage healthier purchasing decisions that support your commitment to employee health. Don’t forget to work with your office supply distributor to find healthier alternatives to conventional products. These can include everything from non-chlorine-bleached paper (organochlorines are highly hazardous) to non-toxic markers and correction fluid.

Once you’ve made several improvements, it’s a great idea to share the results of your audit and action items with your employees. This will show how much you value your employees and are committed to having a positive impact on their health and well-being.