There are several reasons why you should make sure conditions in your office are comfortable for the members of your team. People who are comfortable work more efficiently and tend to stay in their positions longer than those who are uncomfortable.

Maintaining constant conditions in the office is important. Even minor deviations from what team members feel is comfortable may cause stress and affect such factors as performance and safety. In today’s high-pressure environments people already under stress are going to be much less tolerant of uncomfortable conditions.

Temperature

An office that is too warm will make its occupants feel lethargic. On the other hand an office that is too cool makes its occupants restless because they start to worry about how to get warm again.

A general recommendation is that the temperature be kept in the range of 69-73°F (21-23°C). In summer or whenever outdoor temperatures are elevated it is best to keep air-conditioned offices slightly warmer – around 73-79F° (23-26C°) to minimize the discrepancy between indoor and outdoor temperatures.

Humidity

When relative humidity is maintained at around 50% studies show that office workers have fewer respiratory problems and feel better in general. Higher humidity can make the office feel stuffy and closed-in. Humidity lower then 50% can cause discomfort by drying out the mucous membranes in the nose, mouth and throat.

Humidity is definitely related to health. High humidity can contribute to the development of bacterial and fungal growth. Low humidity contributes to skin rashes and can cause electrostatic problems with screens on computer monitors.

Air Movement

Air movement is yet another factor to consider. Studies have shown that an air velocity below about 50 feet per minute (0.25 metres/second) does not create any significant distraction, even where sustained attention is required.

Pollution

You may think that simply having a clean office is sufficient. But pollution can be a problem in the cleanest office, which is why Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is becoming an increasingly important issue.

Air pollutants can originate within the building or be drawn in from outdoors. Sources of pollution that originate outside a building include pollen, dust and fungal spores, and vehicle exhaust.

From inside the building come pollutants such as odors from carpets, wall coverings and furnishings, fumes from paints, sealants and adhesives, and emissions from pieces of office equipment in use.

These pollutants can all contribute to causing levels of discomfort from mild to serious. Ventilation here is important. An inadequately ventilated office can lead to the build up of a variety of these indoor air pollutants.

What Can You Do?

To find out if you have problems talk first with members of your team. You might be in and out of the office so often that you don’t notice whether the temperature’s too warm or if there’s a funny odor in the storeroom. Ask those who spend the majority of their time at work in the same location if they’re comfortable then act on their comments.

Get a good thermometer and try it out in different parts of the office. You may well find “cold spots” and “hot spots”. Hold up a tissue in various areas of all rooms and look for drafts. Chances are you’ll be surprised at what you find.

The four areas of comfort we’ve discussed – temperature, humidity, air movement and pollution, can all be controlled in various ways. In modern offices these are most often affected by the building’s heating ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC). Fixing problems in these areas will usually involve discussions with those responsible for the building and its equipment.

The following recommendations and guidelines are useful in preventing indoor air quality problems:
· HVAC systems should receive periodic cleaning and filters should be changed on a regular basis.
· The ventilation system should introduce an adequate supply of fresh outside air into the office and capture and vent air pollutant sources to the outside.
· Office machinery should be operated in well-ventilated areas. Photocopiers should be placed away from workstations.
· Office equipment should be cleaned and maintained according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
· Special attention should be given to operations that may generate air contaminants (such as painting, pesticide spraying, and heavy cleaning). Provisions for adequate ventilation must be made during these operations.

There’s one easy improvement you can make to the humidity and air quality. Introduce water-loving pot plants to your work area. As well as adding to the appearance of the work environment they help to keep the humidity at a comfortable level and reduce particulate matter in the air.


Copyright 2003, RAN ONE Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from www.ranone.com.