89% of French people underestimate air pollution in their workplace…

What do you think of the air quality in your workplace? This is the question that OberA asked 5,601 people across six major business sectors*. A survey that shows the majority of employees underestimate indoor air pollution, are poorly informed about health risks, and are largely unaware of their employer’s legal obligations.

French people misjudge air quality

Nearly 1 in 3 people (29%) still consider the air in their workplace to be poor, a sign that discomfort is already noticeable in many environments. Above all, 14% say they have never asked themselves the question, confirming a major gap between employees’ perceptions and the reality of air-quality issues at work.

What are the existing systems in companies used for?

More clear-eyed, 23% believe they “only heat or cool”, and 12% admit they do not know how it works, reflecting a general lack of clarity about the real role of these installations.

Very inconsistent monitoring

Nearly one in two employees does not know if air quality is measured in their premises: 29% answer “no, never” and 31% state they have never been informed that it could be measured. Only 14% indicate regular monitoring, even though measuring CO₂, particles, or VOCs is now considered an essential lever for ensuring a healthy and productive work environment.

Companies with little concern

In most companies, indoor air quality remains far behind safety or ergonomics: only 12% of French people believe it is a real priority. Conversely, 37% hardly ever talk about it and 27% have no idea how the subject is managed, leaving nearly 2 out of 3 employees in the dark.

What is healthy air?

This gap fuels a false sense of safety in many work environments, even though indoor air quality is measured precisely using sensors and dedicated diagnostics, and is a major issue for health and performance in companies.

A lack of knowledge on the subject

Very few French people know the parameters used to measure indoor air quality. While temperature (91%) and relative humidity (76%) are widely identified, only 64% cite CO₂, 38% fine particles, and barely 5% know VOCs, even though these pollutants are at the heart of professional air quality diagnostics. Nearly 1 in 10 respondents even state they do not know any of the measurement parameters.

Indoor air pollution is greatly underestimated

In detail, 63% think that indoor air is less, as, or only slightly more polluted than outdoors, and 26% had never asked themselves the question. This massive gap between perception and reality illustrates how indoor air pollution remains an invisible risk, even though it is recognized as a major public health and workplace prevention issue.

What about the law?

These results also reveal real confusion regarding labor law: only 22% of respondents clearly know that maintaining healthy indoor air is a regulatory obligation for the employer. While 29% consider it “probably true”, nearly 1 in 2 employees (49%) do not know or think it is not an obligation.

“This survey highlights a crucial point: the gap between what experts recommend – structured and regular monitoring of indoor air quality – and the reality on the ground, where monitoring remains largely marginal, or even invisible to employees. However, the Labor Code clearly requires employers to guarantee healthy air and prevent risks related to indoor pollution (notably articles L4121-1 and R4222-1). This discrepancy between the legal framework and employee perception shows that air quality remains a true blind spot in corporate prevention culture.”

Thibaut SAMSEL CEO and founder of OberA