Emotions in the air: when sick building syndrome strikes

Most indoor air quality (IAQ) cases are characterized by 2 distinct milestones: when the IAQ problem is solved and when the occupants believe the problem is solved. Unfortunately, communications breakdowns make it difficult for building occupants to trust management's diagnosis of the problem a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Risk management 1996-11, Vol.43 (11), p.37
Main Authors: Odom, III, J. David, Barr, Christine R
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Air quality
Attorneys
Emotions
Employees
Human resource management
Indoor air quality
Indoor environments
Internal public relations
Labor relations
Legionnaires' disease
Management
Methods
Perceptions
Psychological aspects
Risk management
Sick building syndrome
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Summary:Most indoor air quality (IAQ) cases are characterized by 2 distinct milestones: when the IAQ problem is solved and when the occupants believe the problem is solved. Unfortunately, communications breakdowns make it difficult for building occupants to trust management's diagnosis of the problem and the effectiveness of the repairs. As a result, new complaints, whether real or imagined, are lodged, and additional repairs must be made before the occupants are satisfied. Responding effectively to IAQ problems in the workplace therefore has a psychological as well as a technical component. To accommodate the building occupants' subjective response to a perceived IAQ problem, the risk manager's response should address the emotional factors by promoting employee communications and involvement throughout the problem-solving effort.
ISSN:0035-5593