Poor Workplace IAQ Could Push Younger U.S. Workers To Quit

Fellowes‘ 2025 International Day of Clean Air Survey has revealed that 45% of U.S. Millennial and Gen Z workers say they would consider leaving their employer over poor indoor air quality (IAQ), compared to just 18% of Baby Boomers.

Now in its fourth year, the annual survey finds that while concerns about IAQ remain high across the workforce, younger employees are driving a shift in its prioritization. In the U.S., Millennials and Gen Z are far more likely to worry about the health consequences of poor indoor air quality. More than two-thirds (68%) express concern about long-term effects—more than double the rate of Baby Boomers (28%). Their worries are not unfounded: 77% of younger workers report experiencing at least one workplace IAQ concern, compared with 60% of Baby Boomers.

Clean air is widely recognized as essential to performance, with 94% of U.S. workers across all age groups saying it helps them do their best work. However, only 61% believe their employer is taking the right steps to ensure good IAQ. This perception gap could have real implications for a labor market increasingly dominated by younger workers. Millennials and Gen Z comprise 54% of the U.S. workforce, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (2024), and will continue to shape workforce norms in the years ahead.

The survey also highlights a growing demand for transparency. Overall, 78% of U.S. workers say it’s important that their employer share workplace IAQ data—a sentiment that is strongest among Millennials and Gen Z. When asked about the steps employers could take to increase their confidence in IAQ, workers showed a preference for installed air purification units (49%), followed by updates to HVAC systems (45%) and visible use of IAQ monitors (36%).

Additional findings from the 2025 Fellowes International Day of Clean Air Survey include:

• 68% of U.S. workers believe employers, not building owners, government agencies or employees themselves, bear responsibility for ensuring clean indoor air at work.
• Despite this, more than half (53%) of U.S. employees have taken personal steps to improve IAQ at work—including bringing in an air purifier, opening a window, or adding plants specifically for the purpose of improving the air. That number is highest among Millennials and Gen Z (59%) and lowest among Baby Boomers (26%).