In a survey of U.S. office workers, nearly all respondents (95%) say their expectations for improved indoor air quality (IAQ) have increased in the past three years, according to a report released today by Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON). 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.

The survey sheds light on the impact of buildings on both occupant well-being and the environment. A substantial majority (77%) of U.S. respondents feel it’s extremely or very important that their employer or building manager keep them informed of their building's IAQ – a 22-point leap from Honeywell’s 2022 Healthy Buildings survey. In fact, an overwhelming majority of surveyed U.S. office workers (88%) agree that limiting investment in IAQ technology shows a low commitment to employee safety and well-being.

Nearly all U.S. respondents (98%) would take at least one of the following actions if their employer didn't put measures in place to maintain a healthy indoor environment:
• Speak with a supervisor or leadership (60%)
• Request to work remotely (40%)
• Rally other workers and raise the issue (34%)
• Look for another job (21%)

The U.S. workforce recognizes the benefits of good IAQ on their health and well-being: 76% of respondents believe it contributes a lot to their productivity; 61% say it contributes to better overall physical health; and 58% believe it contributes to better overall mental health, including mood and general functioning at work – a 10-point increase over last year’s results.

This year’s survey posed questions for the first time about making buildings more sustainable, revealing that 34% of U.S. respondents feel their employer should be prioritizing both better IAQ and a reducing their building’s carbon footprint. Nearly half (46%) of those surveyed feel their employer should prioritize improving IAQ in their building, while 20% prefer that they prioritize reducing the building’s carbon emissions.

A resounding majority of surveyed U.S. office workers (81%) believe it’s extremely or very important that their employer or office building manager actively take steps to reduce their building's carbon emissions. An even larger number of respondents (91%) would be willing to give up at least one job perk or benefit if it meant the funds would be reinvested in reducing the environmental impact of their building. Most notably, 28% of those surveyed said they would sacrifice part of their salary or bonus – slightly more than the 26% global average.

“The expectation for improved IAQ among U.S. office workers has significantly increased in the past three years,” said Manish Sharma, vice president and general manager of Sustainable Buildings, Honeywell. “As employees become more aware of IAQ’s effects on their well-being, as well as their building’s impact on the environment, it's crucial for employers and building managers to understand that these two priorities need no longer be viewed as mutually exclusive.”

Honeywell's ready now Healthy Buildings solutions can help improve occupant well-being, meet energy efficiency goals and, importantly, change the way occupants experience a building.

Surveyed workers’ concerns about the environmental impact of their workplace may be buoyed by the emphasis organizations are placing on sustainability as detailed in the 1Q 2023 Honeywell Environmental Sustainability Index, a quarterly survey of business leaders directly involved in their organization’s environmental sustainability initiatives measuring key trends pertaining to global efforts in climate change mitigation and other sustainability initiatives. Seventy-one percent of organizations surveyed in the second release of Honeywell Environmental Sustainability Index ranked sustainability as one of their top five priorities (highest percentage) and 63% of surveyed organizations said energy evolution and efficiency are a top priority. The Index shows organizations are increasingly taking a balanced approach to environmental solutions, embracing more technological solutions alongside process changes.