In a paper published at the Global Conference on Business, Economics, Management and Tourism, researchers found a direct correlation between work environments and job satisfaction among employees like dental technicians.

The Result

Using a survey, researchers tapped the feelings of workers in education, banking and telecommunications and found that satisfaction was tied directly to the quality of the work environment. Researchers focused on two areas: Work and Context. Work was defined as the intrinsic aspects of the job—things like training, skillsets and production of work. Context, on the other hand, focused on the overall environment and things like the work setting, the enclosed spaces and the office set-up.

The study acknowledged that all too often employers focus the majority of their attention on the Work and not enough on the Context—the work environment. So, the researchers theorized, employers would experience better overall employee job satisfaction if the company paid closer attention to the work environment in totality. Increased employee satisfaction is tied directly to better work environments.

This affects Dental Technicians

It stands to reason that the survey results would be the same—if not greater—in dental labs. That’s because dental labs, with all the dental technicians grinding, chipping and contouring of molds and appliances, are very dusty, unhealthy environments. And, while dental lab owners may consider training opportunities and other work-related incentives as a way to boost dental technician satisfaction, they should consider the Context aspects of the workplace, as evidenced by the survey’s findings. To that end, dental lab owners and managers need to review the work environment, ensuring there are ample opportunities to boost satisfaction and morale.

The Solution

One way to do that is addressing the dusty environment. HVAC systems do a fine job of moving the air throughout a facility. But they don’t really work to improve the air. Heavy HEPA filters designed to replace regular HVAC system filters aren’t the answer, as they are thick and decrease airflow, creating a strain on the system.

Also, suction systems used in conjunction with grinding equipment used by dental technicians aren’t the answer either. They only affect the immediate grinding area and are often taxed to their limits during the normal workday and workload.

One sure way to improve the work environment and help boost employee satisfaction is installing AeraMax Professional air purifiers. They’re dedicated to one task: Dramatically improving indoor air quality by “scrubbing” the air.

These commercial-grade air purification systems effectively and efficiently remove up to 99.97 percent of airborne contaminants. They remove viruses, odors, volatile organic compounds, dust and bacteria from lab settings using hospital-like True HEPA filtration. The four-stage filtration system of AeraMax Professional systems automatically senses when air needs to be cleaned, working behind the scenes to refresh air and improve the overall health of occupants.