Insight #2
Perhaps one of the most surprising trends that emerged from the survey is that employees are very aware of the impact of carbon dioxide (CO₂) on workplace performance. To gain trust among employees that they’re taking IAQ seriously, organisations may find CO₂ monitoring in the workplace to be a particularly effective strategy.
Poor air quality is a known cause of sick building syndrome, the condition where people experience certain symptoms—such as headaches, dizziness, or poor concentration—when in a particular building. Studies have regularly shown that the presence of high levels of CO₂ correlates with symptoms of sick building syndrome and lowered productivity.
8 in 10 US respondents (77%) said they were aware of the impact of CO₂ levels on productivity (and 34% said they were very aware), while 6 in 10 UK employees (61%) were aware and 18% very aware.
However, trends are clearly visible when the results are broken down by age and sector. Young people stood out once more, as the age group with the highest level of awareness (87% were aware of the health impacts of CO₂ in the US and 70% in the UK).
Meanwhile, in the US, teachers were the workers with the lowest awareness of the impacts of CO₂—posing a possible challenge to government plans to improve air quality in schools. Finally, the research reveals that high CO₂ levels are not just an abstract worry. 22% of Americans surveyed believe that CO₂ levels in the workplace are already too high—suggesting for many that an urgent solution is needed.