A Key Factor for Employee Productivity
“The majority of people spend most of their time indoors. Good indoor air quality is therefore essential for health, well-being, performance, and effective working, learning, and teaching”, states the Institute for Occupational Safety of the German Social Accident Insurance (Institut für Arbeitsschutz (IFA) der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung) . In this context, AQI reports that indoor air quality is “five times more polluted than outdoor air”, and according to the EPA, “indoor pollutant levels can be 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels”.
Photo: Vadim Kaipov from Unsplash
Air quality is not only relevant in residential settings but also in workplaces. The Handelsblatthas highlighted “Why air quality in the workplace plays a crucial role”.
“Is there a right to good air?”
This was a question posed by employee Michael Richter, with Berlin labor law expert Ulf Weigelt responding in Zeit Online. Poor air quality at work can lead to decreased concentration, which in turn reduces performance, increases errors, and even causes accidents. Furthermore, low air quality can result in serious health issues for employees. While good air is essential, cool air is often scarce. Despite some regulations, employees have no direct legal entitlement to air-conditioned offices or relief from extreme heat.
However, a company’s success depends on healthy and satisfied employees. At the same time, personnel costs often make up a significant portion of a company’s total expenses.
Photo: Anastasia Nelen from Unsplash
Employers should ensure that air quality in offices, conference rooms, production halls, and warehouses meets high standards. Alongside proper lighting and acoustics, a healthy working climate is a fundamental requirement. Workplace safety regulations demand that workspaces be designed to avoid health risks. Because indoor air quality can be influenced both by “various indoor pollutants from numerous chemical and/or biological sources” and by “external factors”. As reported by Arbeitssicherheit.de, “workplaces across all industries are exposed to airborne pollutants that can stem from a variety of sources”.
Pollutants in the air can take different forms, with aerosols, vapors, fibers, smoke, and dust being particularly relevant from an occupational safety perspective.
Photos: Krzysztof Kowalik, Arlington Research & Ant Rozetsky from Unsplash
The Industrial (Warehouse) Climate
The research network Correctiv wrote: “German industry is the dirtiest in Europe”. This not only concerns emissions with “massive consequences for health, climate, and the German economy” as a whole – “around 60 billion euros due to premature deaths, pollution, or burdens on the healthcare system”.
Arbeitssicherheit.de has addressed, among other things, not only the air quality in office spaces but also specifically the “climate in industrial halls”. “Processes in industrial halls often result in emissions from machines, equipment, and materials, such as dust”, according to the Occupational Safety & Health portal (Portal für Arbeitssicherheit & Arbeitsschutz). “Primarily, due to […] process-related emissions into the hall air, supplemented by the exhalations of people and the rise in CO2, the air becomes ‘used’ and is often perceived as stuffy, stagnant, and exhausting”, but the “infection protection of employees” should also be considered. The quality can “only be ensured with proper ventilation in the industrial hall”, which can generally be classified into:
- natural (free) ventilation
- mechanical (technical) ventilation
(source)
However: “Many halls cannot be sufficiently ventilated through natural ventilation due to their size and limited ventilation areas, such as windows. The effectiveness of air exchange is also dependent on ‘pressure and temperature differences inside and outside the hall’”. Technical ventilation can be implemented through ventilation or air conditioning systems. But, in addition to other disadvantages, caution should be exercised with fans, as they can “stir up dust or pollen”, posing a potential “risk for allergy sufferers”. (Mobile) “Air conditioning units can also cause noise disturbances”. Both technical solutions carry the risk of “drafts. Possible consequences may include colds or stiff necks”, writes IG Metall.
Photo: Ludomil Sawicki
Air Quality in Office Spaces
Air quality plays a crucial role in workplace environments, whether in traditional office spaces or home offices, impacting both employee well-being and productivity. As the saying goes: “What applies to the industry also benefits office spaces”—an “adequate air exchange reduces all risks, even for desk workers”.
Recommendations suggest that to improve air quality, office spaces should be regularly supplied with fresh air through shock or cross-ventilation. The use of CO₂ monitors can help track air quality and ensure timely ventilation before CO₂ concentrations reach critical levels.
Why?
Effects of (Poor) Air Quality in the Workplace
“Poor air quality at the workplace reduces productivity or can even cause illness”: Poor indoor air can lead to symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating – commonly referred to as “Sick-Building-Syndrom” (SBS). In contrast, „Building Related Illness“ (BRI) describes cases where allergic, microbial, or chemical exposures are verifiably linked to building-related diseases.
The Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance (Institut für Arbeitsschutz der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung (IFA)) summarizes the effects of poor air quality as follows:
- Development of headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating
- Decreased performance in terms of speed and accuracy
- Reduced attentiveness
- Decline in physical condition
- Increase in absenteeism
- Elevated heart rate
- Higher prevalence of acute illnesses
(source)
Photos: Ant Rozetsky from Unsplash & heylo Düsseldorf
Environmental Factors and Their Impact on Health and Productivity
During the fall and winter of 2024, Germany experienced a significant wave of illnesses – and sick leave –due to respiratory infections. “According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), 7.4 million people […] in early October were suffering from either a common cold or COVID-19”. Poor air quality in workplaces may have been a contributing factor, as it “facilitates the spread of viruses and bacteria”. However, it is not only about viruses and bacteria but also about CO₂, odors, and mold.
- A Havard Study from 2021 found that increased CO₂ levels or fine dust concentrations in indoor air led to slower and less accurate responses in cognitive tests. Additionally, lower humidity – especially in winter – can cause irritation of the mucous membranes due to warm, dry air, increasing susceptibility to colds and respiratory viruses.
- Research by the World Green Building Council indicates that poor indoor air quality can increase illness rates by up to 35%.
- Long-term exposure also has serious consequences: “Continuous inhalation of fine dust increases the risk of cardiovascular and severe respiratory diseases“.
A Dutch study from Maastricht University found that regular ventilation – even in home office settings – boosts productivity and reduces the risk of burnout. Ensuring good air quality not only improves employee health but also enhances job satisfaction and overall workplace performance.
At the same time, it is important to recognize that “outdoor air can contaminate indoor air, for example, through exhaust fumes and fine dust,” particularly in urban or industrial areas.
Environmental factors such as air pollution affect not only physical health but also mental well-being and educational outcomes. The German Institute for Economic Research (Deutsche Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW)) highlights that low-emission zones, which promote better air quality, have a positive impact on cognitive performance and overall well-being. These findings underscore the need for policies that offer not only ecological benefits but also social and economic advantages.
- The total public health costs associated with cancer, asthma, other diseases, and missed work or school days in the United States alone are estimated at $20 billion per year.
- “Poor air quality – especially in urban areas—continues to negatively impact public health in Europe. According to recent estimates by the European Environment Agency (EEA), at least 238,000 premature deaths in the EU in 2020 were linked to PM2.5 concentrations exceeding 5 µg/m³. Nitrogen dioxide exposure led to 49,000 premature deaths, while elevated ozone levels accounted for 24,000.”
- However, indoor air quality (IAQ) also has severe consequences. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that poor IAQ is responsible for approximately 3.2 million deaths annually.
Photo: Jakub Zerdzicki from Unsplash
Time for Change – and Natural Solutions
Healthy indoor air quality in workplaces and other indoor environments enhances thermal comfort, boosts individual productivity, improves overall health and well-being, and reduces the risk of illness.
According to Handelsblatt, despite the significant consequences, “not every company” is fully aware of the importance of air quality in the workplace. Yet, “behavioral changes and technical solutions could provide relief”. While air quality was a major topic of discussion during the COVID-19 pandemic, “in many companies, indoor air has once again become a low priority – even though Germany’s Workplace Ordinance applies to office spaces”.
Particularly vulnerable groups – including infants, children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory conditions, heart disease, or weakened immune systems – are at higher risk in polluted indoor environments due to their reduced immune defenses.
Photos: GCS & Sven Mieke from Unsplash
Numerous studies suggest that, for example, sustainable buildings and health-promoting indoor environments benefit employee health and productivity. The report of the World Green Building Council highlights that factors such as good air quality, natural lighting and thermal comfort can have positive effects on employees’ health, well-being, and performance. (This is less problematic in new building planning than in existing properties.)
- The analysis of the World Green Building Council emphasizes that better air quality through lower CO₂ levels and pollutant concentrations, as well as higher ventilation rates, can increase productivity by up to 8-11 %. This underscores not only the benefits for employees themselves but also the financial advantages for companies: The study shows that small improvements in air quality can bring significant economic benefits, as personnel costs account for approximately 90% of operating expenses.
- “Regular fresh air keeps employees fit, protects them from infections, and prevents mold formation”, better air quality is associated with a reduction in sick days by 58 %.
The study „Economic, Environmental and Health Implications of Enhanced Ventilation in Office Buildings“ shows that doubling the ventilation rate from 20 to 40 cubic feet per minute (cfm) per person increases employees’ cognitive performance by 8 %, which corresponds to a productivity increase of about 6,500 USD per year. At the same time, the study emphasizes that the costs for improved ventilation (under 40 USD per person per year) are far outweighed by the health and productivity gains. - A study in the United Kingdom found that improving indoor air quality could lead to productivity increases of up to 7.1 billion pounds per year.
- Havard Business Publishing also states that improved indoor air quality can increase employee productivity by up to 8 % and enhance cognitive abilities by 61 %.
- In addition to improving air quality, regulating temperature and increasing humidity levels could offer relevant benefits in the face of rising values: Poor air quality and high temperatures consistently reduce employee performance by up to 10 %.
- According to the report of the European Ventilation Industry Association (EVIA), proper ventilation can reduce absenteeism by 10 % and increase productivity by 3 %.
- An analysis by Harvard University suggests that “companies that ensure optimal indoor air quality […] can be up to 10 % more productive“, and that “[i]n the end, this results in up to 37 % more net revenue“, as stated in Airica’s blog.
Photo: GCS
Plants offer numerous benefits for indoor spaces and workplaces. They act as natural humidifiers, improve air quality by absorbing pollutants such as fine dust and CO₂ while producing oxygen, and can serve as air filters. “Looking at greenery is also said to have a positive effect on mental well-being, while plants provide sound and visual protection”.
Innovative moss filters are particularly effective as natural air purifiers and can be integrated in a space-saving manner. Additionally, as green elements, they enhance concentration, creativity, and employee satisfaction while contributing to a more sustainable work environment.
Moss in Action
Green City Solutions offers a sustainable solution for reducing fine dust pollution both outdoors and indoors with its natural and smart moss-based air filters. Through integrated moss modules , these biofilters create a true forest-air and forest-scent oasis, bringing nature into urban environments and buildings while delivering an authentic outdoor feeling—even indoors.
The innovative biotech filters and coolers can reduce fine dust concentrations by up to 82% while being more cost-effective than conventional air purification systems—without generating waste. On a 9-square-meter surface, waste-free air filtration of up to 5,000 cubic meters per hour takes place. At the same time, a cooling capacity of up to 6,500 watts per hour and a temperature reduction of up to 4°C can be achieved. The improved air quality and overall environment not only contribute to better health but also enhance well-being and productivity.
Photos: GCS & Benjamin from Unsplash
“Green Centerpiece”: The CityBreeze in the “Biotope with an Outstanding Business Climate”
Our Clean Air Concept integrate sustainability, climate protection, and digitalization – and are often eligible for funding. Attractive financing, rental, and leasing options are also available. To learn more about our sustainable solutions and how they can improve indoor air quality and comfort, feel free to contact us!