Why is it important to monitor indoor air quality in offices?

Indoor air quality pollutants directly affect performance and productivity.

We spend around 90% of our time indoors, and for many of us, the office is our second home. However, we have normalised symptoms such as afternoon fatigue, recurring headaches and difficulty concentrating, attributing them to stress or workload, when the main cause could literally be in the air we breathe. Indoor air quality (IAQ) in work environments has become as crucial a factor in performance as technology or ergonomic furniture, but infinitely more invisible.

An office is a complex ecosystem where multiple pollutants accumulate. The most basic is carbon dioxide (CO2), which we exhale constantly. In poorly ventilated meeting rooms, its concentration skyrockets, causing drowsiness and a noticeable reduction in cognitive ability. Added to this are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), a family of gases emitted by paints, carpets, new furniture, printers and cleaning products. These compounds are responsible for eye and throat irritation and, with prolonged exposure, some may have carcinogenic effects.

Finally, we cannot forget particulate matter (PM2.5), fine dust that can come from outside or be generated indoors and, due to its tiny size, reaches the deepest parts of our lungs. Continuous exposure to this cocktail of pollutants not only reduces productivity and increases absenteeism, but is also associated with an increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. For this reason, air quality monitoring is no longer a luxury but has become an essential management tool that protects the most important asset of any company: the health and well-being of its team.