AIRING VIEWS

The Honeywell 2023 Healthy Buildings survey results reveal changes in respondents' awareness and concerns about both the planet's health and their own well-being

In a survey of employees an overwhelming majority of respondents (90%) agreed that the quality of the air they breathe has a direct impact on their health and well-being, according to a report released by Honeywell. Honeywell's third annual Healthy Buildings Survey recently queried 2,500 office workers in buildings with 500-plus workers in Germany, India, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States.

For the first time this year, the survey posed questions to gauge office workers' beliefs and attitudes about their building's environmental impact. Given a choice of having their employer prioritize either improving IAQ or reducing their building's carbon footprint, nearly half (44%) of respondents say their organization should be able to accomplish both objectives. These findings suggest that employees' concerns for the environment is increasing along with their belief that office IAQ affects their well-being and productivity.

Notably, 80% of those surveyed say good indoor air quality (IAQ) contributes positively to their productivity, more than the global response rate of 68%. The workers surveyed also voiced more trust than respondents in the other regions that their employer or facility manager has taken the necessary steps to provide safe IAQ, with nearly nine in 10 (88%) agreeing. The percentage of Middle East respondents who 'strongly agree' with this sentiment (58%) jumped by a surprising 17% from last year's results. Ultimately, employees put the onus on employers and building managers to maintain IAQ.

Respondents from different countries aligned with in their willingness to give up job perks or benefits if it meant the funds would be reinvested to reduce the environmental impact of their building. A surprising 35% of respondents would sacrifice part of their salary or bonus, while nearly all of those surveyed (95%) would give up at least one job perk or benefit, including: