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9/ Wcmen are more likely than men to rank each of the preceding eight items as ve_y important in making the work 3_ea a productive place. In four r_,ises, these differ.nces are ,^.artic:Aarly striking: • the size !)f the office or workspace (anong women c8'K say this is very important, among men only 49%)~ • whether the nfFice has been recently red?l.orated (women 38%, men! 22;'0) • ter)perature (women 87;, men 73%) a overall housekeeping (women 71%, men 581'. In contrast, the gap !,etween the sexes narrows considerably regarding two issues affecting office prnr.uctlvity: • quiet (women 57% very important, men 54;) • how close you are in distance to other workers (women 45%, rnen 38% ) .

10/ TABLE 1 Question. Many things can help to make an office or work area a productive place to woru in -- that is, a place where you can get your work done quickly and efficiently. Do you personally feel that [each item listed] is very, sc,rewhat, not very, or not at all important in helping to make an office or workspace a proU:ictive place to work? • very important somewhat important not very not at all imoortant important not su.e lighting 87% 11% 1% 1% - temperature 78 20 2 - - the nature of the air 68 25 . 5 1 2 overall housekeeping 63 31 5 1 1 the size of the office or workspace 56 37 5 2 1 quiet 55 35 6 3 2 how close you are in distance to other workers 41 44 9 5 2 whether the office has been recently redecorated 27 42 20 10 -1 3AsP. All respondents (600).

11/ In order to determine how the physical environment of the workplace affects office workers, respcndents next were asked'about five things that people working~in officQs may or may not see as problems. Notably, none of the five items mentioned is considered by a majority as a "very" or "scmewhat" serious problem where they work. However, about four in ten.office workers do say that temperature (4756)~, noise (41°G), and air quality (39°~) are at least somewhat serious problems for them. It is interesting.to note that lighting, which was earlier cited as tae nunber one factor affecting office worker productivity, is well down~the list of problem areas. Slightly less than one-third (320)~ of office workers mention lighting as a very or somewhat serious problem. An equal number (32%) cite dirty surroundings. TABLE 2 Cuestion. And here are some things that people working:in offices may or may not consider problens. In the office or area where you work is/are [each item listed]':a very, somewhat, not very, or not at all seriaus problem? very somewhat not very not at all not serious serious serious serious sure temperature noise air quality lighting dirty surroundings 19% 28% 20% 33% 1% 16 25 21 37 1 13 21 18 44 - 18 14 16 52 - 17 15 20 49 - Base. All respondents (6C0).

12/ 2. How workers oerceive air ^ualitv in the of`ice Most office workers seem highly satisfied witn air quality in the workplace. But a detailed exaninaticn of their attitudes reveals a significant negative response as well. On the whole, office workers express a high level of satisfaction with the air quality where they work. Nearly one in three (32%) consider the air quality to be "excellent" and another 44% rate it as "good." But 24% express dissatisfaction with air quality, saying it is "only fair" (18%) or "poor" (6%). Thus nearly one in four of those surveyed rate the air quality where they work no better than fair or poor. These workers have little trouble coming up with specific reasons for their evaluation. Cigarette smoke, poor ventilation, and pollution are blamed most often for having a negative impact on air quality. Notably all of these problems have solutions - ranging from the relatively simple designation of smoking/no smoking areas to the more complex ' installation of air conditioners or cleaners. Improving~air quality may well increase productivity. Over half of the workers surveyed think that better air quality would make their office a more productive place to work in. Women, who are more critical than men on air quality issues, are also among the most ardent supporters of this concept and are likely to be highly receptive to management efforts to improve air quality. Three variables seem to influence how office workers perceive air quality where they work. Among those more likely to be critical of air quality in the office are • women • those who work in crowded workspaces • those who occupy buildings that are 20 or more years old.

13/ T .7AELE 3 WuesVon. Just in general -- Co you feel tie air quality where you work is excei ent, good, only fair, or poor? excPllent good only fair poor don't know All resoondents 32% 44% 16% 6% 1% Gender rt'.aie 3514 45% 14% 4% 1% female 25 43 25 9 - Hcw crowded"work area is very/scmewhat crowCed 19% 44% 25% 10°G 1% not very/not at all crowded 39 45 13 3 - Age of building 1-10 years 38% 42% 14% 5% 1% 11-19 years 32 44 19 4 1 29-or more years 24 47 21 8 1 9ase_ A11 respondents (600).

14/ :.n ov°rwhelming 'T1ajo.'Lty' 02:0) of ofi`ice workers say that there has been no~ real c4an5e in the air quality where t4ey work during the past year. Where there has been a change, three tim?s as many say it has been for the better (13%) as say it nas been for the worse (44;). rhese responses are consistent with the earlier finding that over three-quarters of office workers surveyed consider the air quality where they work to be excellent (32"S) or good (44%). TABLE 4 Question. J"st juring the past year, has the overall air quality where you work become much better, somewhat better, sonewhat worse, or much worse; or has there been no real change? much/somewhat better 13% much"better 5 somewhat better 3 somewhat/much worse 4% somewhat worse 3 iuch worse 1 no r?31 Vanae 820 (donTt know) 1% Base. Those who have worked in their current office for at Inast one year (581).

~ -~---.'.__~----~ -- - - 15/ However, it is striking _'14t i:esNite this extremely rosy picture, a 53A najo::ty of :espondents think tnat h-~'ter air quality would be very (23%.) or sonewhat (3C5b) hel;}fwf in ma+<ingi their ofFice a m,)ce prnhuctive place in whic.-I t'J, work. 'Nomen, (550-10once again! insist more strongly than men (47°„) tnat correcting existing pro5lems in the office (in this case, air quality) would result in higher aroductivity. Ottler respundents that are more likely to feel better air quality would improve tN!ir produr:tivity include workers that • say they now contend wi::-i "only fair" or "poor" air quality in their office • often or sometimes have •jifficulty working because of air quality • are in very or somewhat :rowded work areas • work in open offices.

16/ TABLE 5 Question. Overall, if the air quality where you work were better than,it is now, would better air quality be very, somewhat, not very, or not at all helpful in making your office amt7re aroductive place to work in? All respondents Gend'er male female General air quality in office excellent good fair/poor Have difficulty doing job because of air auality often/sometlmes rarely/never How crowded work area is very/somewhat crowded not very/not at all crowded Type of work area fully enclosed semi-enclosed open area Base. A11 respondents (600). very helpful somewhat helpful not very hel ful riot at all helaful Con't know 23% 30% 16% 28% 4% 18% 29% 17% 31% 5% 32 33 14 22 1 15% 21% 16% 40% 7% 14 32 21 30 3 47 39 6 8 . 1 57% 35% 4% 4% - 14% 29 19 34 4 27% 363 15% 19% 3% 19 26 17 33 4 20% 25% 17% 33% 5% 21 37 18 24 1 30 34 12 22 3 ~ O ~ O C!'d7

17/ A majority of ras,?ondents believe that better air quality would' i~r.prove conditions ;vhere they work. However, only 5% of all office work`rs surveyed say that tney or otiiAr people where they work have asked their company to~ install an air :leaner. TABLE 6 Cuesticn. Have y¢u or other people where you work asked your company to install an a:r cleaner? yes 5% no 86 (don't know) 9

ls/ T. ~,tiat hs'. s 7r hllrj,I+fS =r: air cual.ity.'' Resaonafbots wice as ed to 5tata in their nwn~words the reasans ror `_heir eraiua;ion ]f t".e air il t`1?ir own of•°i^P. iflat P,n?v;n.s is a: "ry rpl;is:~.;r set 3f attituC?s about vhat pos'_tiv"ly anei negatively af"ecr., ,ffice air qy,.ality. We looked first at the responses of the 24;, amnorg office workers ttiat sa, a- their air is "onLy fair" or "poor." Cigarette smo:<e and poor ventilation most frequently cite:i'ny aie-third of this 3roup as reasons for their =or+plaints. PolLuti.~n is aiso nigh on the List of vnlunteerad reasons. Exactly one in five (20%) of office workers identify factors such as noise, chemical, or industrial poUlution. Temperature fluctuations, mentioned by !4`•,. also contribute toia negative evaluation, while building design that eliTinetes windows is criti:ized for restricting the flow of fresh air ;1SI). ine onl,,, other :auses of 5ad air volunteered by at least one in ten, ' respondents are odors in the air (13°:), unreliable air eonditioning '01 •insaee.ified agents that .au5e physical sidR effects such as burning eyes. TABLE 7. Question. QIf respondent says ~rhat t•ie ai^ quality where they work is '7^d.'r 3~ .~ .~C~?], Why do you feel that the air quality where you worc is [o^i; ~ fair or poor]? [Respondents answered in their own words. up to threc ,3}O responsos were ;;ermitted.l ~ v'cGATIvF_ RESPCNSES 1y~ cigarette smoke $~X. poor cirr_ulati~on/ventilation 34 polLution (including noise/chemical/industrial pollution) 2C temperature fluctuations 19 l.ack of fresh air/unable to~open windows 13 odors in the air (unspecified) 13 unreliable air conditioning, 1'2 condition of air causes physir.al side efr.ects (burning, eyes, etc.) 1NT riust/dirt a humidity ts too high LL small work place t ather negative responses 2 FlON -Ft£S'ON ;ES don' t know 3% ' aase. Those sayingi that the -1ir qualLt'y where they work is only fair or poor (142). r-,