UK workers believe air quality has a direct impact on wellbeing – © iStock
The majority of respondents (94%) in a survey of UK workers agreed that the quality of the air they breathe has a direct impact on their health and wellbeing, according to a report.
Honeywell’s third annual Healthy Buildings Survey recently polled 2,500 workers in buildings of 500-plus workers in Germany, India, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Nearly a quarter (24%) of surveyed UK office workers are extremely or very worried about their office’s indoor air quality (IAQ), a 14% increase (21%) from Honeywell’s 2022 Healthy Buildings survey.
Additionally, eight in 10 respondents (82%) say their expectations for improved IAQ have increased in the past three years. Even more, 16% of respondents don’t know how often, if at all, their employer or office building manager monitors their office building's current IAQ, compared with 7% of global respondents. This leaves room for employers to improve both workplace IAQ and communication of IAQ metrics to their employees.
Productivity
Nearly half (49%) of respondents want their employer to prioritise both better indoor air quality (IAQ) in their building as well as reducing their building’s carbon footprint. The findings suggest that office employees are becoming increasingly aware of their work environment and its effect on their overall wellbeing and productivity, and the environmental impact of the building itself.
Manish Sharma, vice-president and general manager of sustainable buildings, Honeywell, said: “These findings suggest that surveyed UK office workers care not only about their building’s IAQ but also about the carbon emissions that the building may emit… As we continue to move towards a more energy-efficient future for buildings, it’s important to know that IAQ and sustainability are not mutually exclusive goals – building owners don’t have to choose one over the other, they can prioritise both with Honeywell’s ready-now solutions.”
The UK was aligned with the other four surveyed regions when respondents were asked what they would be willing to give up if it meant reinvesting costs to help reduce the environmental impact of their building.
Most UK respondents were willing to give up at least one job perk or benefit (80%), with the most notable items being:
- Building amenities, like lounges or fitness centre (36%)
- Food perks for employees, like coffee, tea, or snacks (33%)
- Less temperature control like running the heat or using AC less (30%)
- State-of-the-art technology for my day-to-day job (21%)
- Part of my salary or bonus (14%)
