The Correlation between air conditioning and productivity

As a business owner, you will always want your staff to be as productive as possible, and there are many ways to help them achieve this. Whilst you might look at rewards, team dynamics and equipment to motivate your employees, you may not have thought about the impact that the air that they breathe can have.

The truth is that air quality can have a significant bearing on workplace productivity, as well as having a number of other health benefits. So, how does it work?

Adding air conditioning to any workplace in the UK was once thought of as unnecessary. Many questioned whether it would be worthwhile in a country whose summers only ever seem to be 10 days long, but air conditioning is something that can benefit any working environment all year round as part of a good quality heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

To explain further, Dominic Little of Chill Air Conditioning shares his thoughts on the correlation between air conditioning and productivity.

Workplace comfort

In the hot weather, the benefits of air conditioning are obvious. The stifling, sluggish atmosphere is easily dissipated, allowing staff to feel more comfortable and keeping the focus on work rather than the temperature. When it is hot and sticky outside, the cool office will suddenly become a sanctuary for your employees and is more likely to be somewhere that they actually want to be.

It might be surprising, but air conditioning units can be great to use for 12 months of the year, particularly in workplaces where the temperature naturally fluctuates. Being hot one minute and cold the next becomes distracting for employees and will lead to the inevitable arguments over who wants a window open and who wants the heating turning up whilst someone huddles in the corner with a cardigan.

Air conditioning is designed to keep your business at a constant, comfortable temperature. The ideal working temperature is thought to be around 21 degrees Celsius, and a good workplace air conditioning unit will help to maintain this, encouraging a healthy workflow and happier staff.

Health benefits

Air conditioning is not just about keeping your staff comfortable, it also plays a large part in supporting their health too. The systems eliminate any conditions that might be brought about by extreme temperatures, such as dehydration, sunstroke, migraines, stress and exhaustion.

These are not only problems which can slow down work in the office, they can also lead to an increased number of sick days. Cold weather will also bring dry skin, colds, flu and sore throats, but by accounting for a loss of humidity with your air conditioning, you will play an active part in keeping your employees healthy and productive.

Technology

Looking after the health of your staff is important, but have you thought about the health of your equipment too? Air conditioning was originally invented to keep machinery efficient by ensuring that it didn’t overheat, and it can still perform the same function today.

If you find that your office is filled with computers, servers, printers, shredders and photocopiers, you will find that they can become quite hot after a while. Not only does this contribute to the ambient temperature of the workspace, but it also creates issues for the equipment itself.

If this kind of technology overheats, it can run at less than its peak or break entirely which can cause interruptions to workflow. Keeping your equipment at a suitable temperature keeps everything running, makes sure your staff can complete all of their tasks and reduces costly repair bills.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us all think more carefully about the air around us and what it carries. This raises questions about air quality, and not just the smog and exhaust fumes that you might think of outdoors.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) looks at the quality of air within a building, as this can still carry pollen, bacteria, viruses, fungus and airborne ceiling and carpet particles. These are all factors that can affect both concentration and performance when inhaled on a regular basis.

This plays a huge part in the health and wellbeing of your employees, and even the World Health Organisation (WHO) talks about the importance of indoor air quality given the amount of time we all spend indoors through home life, work and even most hobbies.

There are many factors, such as pollutant pathways, contamination, damp, mould and indoor combustion that can all impact on indoor air quality and a building’s heating, ventilation and air condition systems are one of the main tools in combating this.

Transmission of COVID-19 has mainly occurred indoors when particles carrying coronavirus are inhaled. Government guidance has stressed the importance of good ventilation in any indoor space in the battle to prevent the spread of the virus.

Whilst opening a window might seem sufficient at home, there are many places where this is simply not practical, or the weather will not lend itself to doing so. Installing an effective HVAC system will help to ensure there is a constant supply of fresh air in your workplace that will protect your staff from COVID-19 as well as many other viruses, colds and hay fever.

Good quality air conditioning can be included in the production of new buildings but can also be added to existing workplaces with ease. There are different types of units to suit different space sizes and their usages, so there is something that can work for every business with a little research. The units can be quiet and discreet and are easy to use and control, so there is no interruption or distraction in a busy workplace.

Air conditioning is no longer something which is only needed in warmer climates. It has a great many uses that can keep all of your staff healthy and comfortable. By doing this, you can ensure they are relaxed and happy, which in turn makes them more productive. The reduction of sick days from avoidable illnesses will also increase output in any workplace, and the bottom line of the business will feel the benefit too.