Too cold is not good

Smart organizations understand that their primary goal is to enhance the performance of their people. A collateral benefit is that what typically supports productivity also enhances employee health and wellness – it’s all interrelated.

Ergonomics expert Professor Alan Hedge from Cornell University said investing in the right equipment can improve workplace welfare and productivity. Hedge said their research showed that many office buildings with air conditioning are overcooled.

He said work performance showed a dramatic decline, if the office temperature was around 2 degrees Celsius too cold. Colder offices are particularly bad news for women over the age of 40, as these individuals typically put on one additional kilogram per year to compensate for the colder environment. Increasing office temperatures, not only save energy, but create greater comfort. The right temperature is higher than what people expect: 23-25 degrees Celsius. These temperatures are associated with higher accuracy on simulated tasks and reduce sick leave. Personal control over ambient conditions, especially temperature, increases productivity. One research study tracked workers in an insurance company as they moved to a new building with advanced thermal controls in their workstations. The study found that productivity increases of 2.8 percent could be attributed to the new workstations. Choose your ideal temperate, and if you are unsure, Airvent Airconditioning & Ventilation would be happy to help you. This is definitely a win-win situation for employer and employee.