How does indoor pollution affect workplace productivity?

What is it about?

Urban workplaces are no stranger to indoor pollution. The air in these locations contains large amounts of microscopic particles and the high concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) that we exhale. Previous studies have shown that when we’re exposed to these pollutants for an extended period, it could cause cognitive decline in the workforce and affect productivity. Accordingly, the authors of this study sought to understand how indoor pollutants affected the cognition of working individuals. They examined 302 office workers in urban commercial buildings located in six countries, including China, India, Mexico, Thailand, the USA, and the UK, for 12 months. The participants were made to perform various tests that assessed their cognitive function.

Featured Image

Photo by Copernico on Unsplash

Photo by Copernico on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Interestingly, the results showed that acute exposure to both particles and CO₂ in the air significantly and negatively impacted the participants’ ability to perform the tests accurately. Exposure to higher pollutants and lower ventilation rates resulted in slower response times and reduced accuracy. KEY TAKEAWAY: This study provides evidence that poor indoor air quality can affect cognitive function, and provides an incentive to adopt the improvement of air quality indoors as a public health strategy.