With more organizations requiring employees to work in the office again, workplace comfort has become more important than ever before. High employee attrition rates happen when people are consistently uncomfortable at work. In fact, being too hot or too cold remains the biggest complaint from employees about their workplace.
Find out why and how to create a comfortable work environment by addressing HVAC and air quality issues.
How workplace comfort impacts your business
People really hate being too hot or too cold in the office, and now many employees are spending more time in the office again. When the office temperature is uncomfortable all day, they often jump at the first opportunity to leave. Over time, you’ll notice your employee attrition rate climbing. Not only do you lose valuable talent, but replacing employees costs you time and money, too.
Employee turnover is not the only way poor workplace comfort costs your business. When people are too hot or cold, these are the results and how they hurt your bottom line.
Productivity
Employee salaries make up 90 percent of operating costs for office space. So improving productivity is one of the best ways to save money.
Studies consistently show that workers complete less work and make more mistakes when the temperature is below 65 degrees. Temps that are too high affect productivity, too. In fact, the 2004 landmark study by Cornell suggested that businesses can save $2 per hour per worker by keeping temperatures comfortable. That number is likely much higher today.
Learn more:
Office Temperature and Productivity in the Workplace
Absenteeism
Have you noticed an increase in people calling in sick, taking long lunches, and finding excuses to avoid working in the office?
Depending on your business, absent employees cost you in lost work, reduced sales, and even negative customer reviews.
Job & customer satisfaction
Satisfied employees lead to satisfied customers. Employees who are shivering or sweltering in an office or retail location are unlikely to provide great customer service. The result? Unhappy customers who decide to switch to the competition. And of course, you end up losing the employees, too.
7 ways to improve workplace comfort & reduce employee attrition
Office temperature complaints get a lot of attention but workplace comfort also includes other issues like humidity, air flow, and airborne contaminants. That means you need to fix temperature variance problems and also address indoor air quality. Here’s how.
1. Control heat and air flow
Small environmental changes can do more than you might expect to banish hot and cold spots in your office:
- Install window coverings that you can open to let in sun and heat when the weather is cold, and close to reduce heat when it’s hot.
- Ensure that all HVAC supply and return registers are open and not blocked. It’s common for uncomfortable employees to close them or cover them. They might also be blocked by furniture.
- Seal windows and doors where conditioned air leaks out and outside air leaks in.
Learn more:
What is the ideal office temperature?
2. Change HVAC filters regularly
Clogged HVAC filters make your heating and AC systems less effective. HVAC technicians will change them during maintenance visits, but many commercial facilities need them changed more often. We recommend keeping extra filters on hand and checking them monthly.
Learn more:
Why and How to Change an AC Filter
3. Don’t neglect HVAC preventative maintenance
Office and facility managers are busy people. It’s not too surprising that HVAC systems (that seem to be working adequately) sometimes end up neglected.
The fact is, regular HVAC preventative maintenance is a simple and relatively inexpensive step that can improve comfort in your workplace. And it can help you curb employee attrition and retain your valuable employees. Maintenance keeps your equipment in optimal condition and prevents breakdowns. Your technician can also spot problems that are causing temperature variance problems, such as air flow adjustments.
Concerned about HVAC repair costs? Here’s a guide that can help you reduce them.
4. Small HVAC updates can deliver big improvements
Have you made changes to your workplace, such as renovations, layout revisions, or occupancy changes, chances are you need to make HVAC changes to keep the environment comfortable.
In many cases, you don’t need to replace the system. You may only need to reroute ductwork or make other design changes to improve distribution.
Learn more:
HVAC System Design: 6 Strategies for Modern Office Spaces
5. Control humidity
Humidity (both high and low) also contributes to workplace comfort issues. High humidity makes the air feel sticky and unpleasant. Low humidity causes static electricity and dries out skin and sinuses. And did you know that keeping humidity levels moderate (40 to 60 percent) helps prevent the spread of illness?
Once again, HVAC maintenance tasks such as cleaning components, cleaning coils, and adjusting airflow can help control humidity levels. You can also add humidification and de-humidification components for problem areas.
Another consideration is the capacity of your AC system. If it’s oversized for the space and conditions (which is not uncommon) it may not do a great job of controlling humidity.
Learn more:
HVAC Humidity Control: 5 Reasons Your AC is Ineffective
6. Improve ventilation
Proper ventilation makes a big difference in how comfortable employees feel in the workplace. Beyond temperature and humidity, ventilation helps remove odors, banish airborne contaminants like viruses and VOCs, reduce excess carbon dioxide, and bring in oxygen from outdoor air.
Learn more:
How Does Workplace Ventilation Impact Employee Productivity?
7. Add air purification
Did you know that indoor air is up to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air? That’s because outdoor pollutants like smog, wildfire smoke, and pollen are getting in, along with a whole host of indoor contaminants like viruses, bacteria, mold, VOCs and more. It’s not surprising that employees have respiratory problems and other symptoms caused by poor indoor air quality.
Keep workers healthier and happier with air purification components that work with the HVAC system to neutralize and remove contaminants.
Learn more:
What Does an HVAC Air Purifier Do?
Ready to improve your NYC workplace comfort? Arista can help.
If your employee attrition is high and you suspect comfort is a contributing factor, give Arista a call now. We can fix temperature variance, humidity, and air quality issues to make your NYC workplace a comfortable and productive environment.
