Six in 10 employees quit over poor office 'air quality'

Six in 10 employees have revealed that they will resign from their jobs if their employers refuse to create a healthier indoor environment, according to a new report.

The report released by Honeywell titled "Workplace Air Quality: A Global Concern Emerges" presented how employees across the world perceive indoor air quality and its importance in the workplace.

Majority (89%) of the office workers surveyed for the report agreed that the quality of air they breathe has a direct impact on their health and well-being. However, only 62% of employees occasionally or never receive updates about their office's indoor quality, as opposed to 15% who said they get real-time updates about it.

According to the report, 64% of lower-level employees never, rarely, or at best sometimes get updates on their building's air quality. Only 13% of surveyed non-C-level workers said they get regular updates, and 29% from C-level executives said they are frequently informed about indoor air quality.

When it comes to benefits, the respondents said having a safe indoor air quality in their offices and buildings can result to better overall physical health (62%).

Other benefits cited by the respondents include:

• Fewer allergies, less sneezing, and coughing (60%)
• Less exposure to airborne contaminants (57%)
• Better overall mental health (53%)
• Improved productivity and problem-solving (43%)

Read more: Health minister reminds employers to provide better office ventilation

Impact to HR

Keeping a safe workplace is one of the biggest responsibilities of employers, especially at a time of health crisis. Doug Wright, president and CEO of Honeywell Building Technologies, said the report's results showed that workers are aware how indoor air quality can affect their well-being.

With more than half of employees threatening to quit over neglect on indoor air quality, Wright said this means workers have an expectation on their employers to take action on the company's indoor air quality and in general environment.

"In a competitive labour market, demonstrating an effort to create a healthier work environment can be an advantage in attracting and retaining employees. Every dollar invested in upgrading workplace air quality, monitoring [indoor air quality] data and communicating it to employees is a dollar strategically spent," said Wright in a statement.

The survey sought the responses of 3,000 office-based employees across the world, including the ASEAN, Germany, India, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and the United States.