International. According to a new survey released by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), employees who work in LEED-certified green buildings are happier, healthier, and more productive than employees in conventional, non-LEED buildings.
The survey also shows that the majority of office workers want to work for companies that are values-oriented, take positions on important issues like sustainability, and do their part to make a positive difference in the world. In fact, 84 percent of respondents prefer to work for a company that has a strong, concrete mission and positive values.
"Employees know that green building programs like LEED help companies develop responsible, sustainable and targeted plans for green energy, water, waste, transportation and many other factors [that explain] the human experience," said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC.
When it comes to choosing a new job, the results show that people's decisions were influenced by whether the workplace was in a LEED-certified building or not. an assignment in a LEED-certified building rather than a LEED-free building.
"We found that today's employees are more motivated than ever to work for a company that promotes not only a higher standard of living for its employees, but also for its community," Ramanujam said. "In today's highly competitive job market, if companies want to attract and retain highly skilled and talented employees, they must demonstrate a commitment to environmental, human and economic sustainability."
LEED buildings are linked to improved productivity, health and well-being, and the survey showed that these attributes, as well as a space that provides clean, high-quality indoor air, directly contribute to employees feeling happy and satisfied at work. More than 80 percent of respondents say that being productive at work and having access to clean, high-quality indoor air contributes to their overall happiness in the workplace.
In addition, 85 percent of employees in LEED-certified buildings also say their access to quality outdoor views and natural sunlight increases their productivity and overall happiness, and 80 percent say improved air quality increases their health and physical comfort.
The survey, conducted by Porter Novelli on behalf of USGBC, included 1,001 workers in the U.S. who work full- or part-time, or who are self-employed but do so in an office setting.
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was developed by USGBC and is the world's most widely used green building rating system, with more than 94,000 projects involved in 167 countries and territories. In addition to focusing on strategies that help address climate change, LEED prioritizes actions that promote people's health and well-being within buildings and spaces.
Source: USGBC.
