A systematic review of environmental intervention studies in offices with beneficial effects on workers’ health, well-being and productivity

Abstract

An increased risk of developing stress, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular diseases, rhinitis, skin and eye irritations and headaches has been particularly reported among office workers. Some of these complaints have been linked to the existence of poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in the workplaces. In this context, intervention studies can offer new insights to tackle poor IEQ issues and to identify effective measures to reduce IEQ-related risks. This review summarizes the main characteristics of environmental intervention studies that have been performed in office settings and the respective findings on the beneficial effects on the promotion of health, well-being, comfort, and productivity among office workers. The study design followed PRISMA guidelines and the search for peer-review articles was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases. Firstly, 513 records were identified, resulting in 23 articles included in the review after the application of the study eligibility criteria and identification of additional important works within the subject. The revised experimental studies were mainly focused on changes in ventilation systems via replacement of air filters and modifications in the rate of outdoor air supplied or temperature set-points. Some studies also included interventions based on the implementation of air cleaning and biophilic strategies. Both objective (e.g., physiological examinations) and subjective (e.g., questionnaires) measures have been used to assess the effects on office workers’ outcomes. Overall, the findings presented here confirm that interventions aiming at improving IEQ in offices can be effective in improving health, well-being and productivity among office workers.