Things can get heated in the office - and it's not just the weather
IT may not come as a surprise to anyone during the heatwave but workplace temperatures have been found to have a serious impact on staffing and productivity.
Research by Manvers firm instantprint has revealed that thermostat tampering, workplace arguments and productivity concerns hit UK offices struggling to adapt to rising temperatures.
The study even found that one in ten workers have considered quitting their job because of uncomfortable office temperatures while 14 per cent admitted to secretly changing the office thermostat when colleagues were not looking.
And nearly two-thirds have argued with a colleague over workplace temperatures.
As summer temperatures seem to be on the rise, many UK buildings are ill-equipped to cope with rising temperatures, according to the new research which surveyed 2,000 UK office workers.
The findings come as the Met Office warns that temperatures exceeding 40°C are becoming increasingly likely in the UK.
Despite these warnings, there is currently no maximum legal workplace temperature in the UK, with employers only required by the Health and Safety Executive to maintain a “reasonable” working environment.
In the research, more than a third of workers said their office was too cold, while 22 per cent said it was too hot.
A further 18 per cent reported experiencing fluctuating temperatures throughout the day.
That left just over a quarter saying that their office temperature was about right.
Almost half – 46 per cent - of respondents said they have caught a colleague secretly adjusting the thermostat, while nearly two-thirds reported having argued with a colleague about office temperature settings.
Vicki Russell, Head of TX at instantprint, said: “Temperature can seem like a small issue until it starts affecting people’s comfort, concentration and relationships with colleagues.
“There is never going to be one perfect setting for everyone, but employers can create environments where people feel listened to and where compromises can be made fairly.”
She suggested that to avoid problems employers could gather regular employee feedback on workplace comfort, establish an agreed temperature range rather than constantly adjusting settings, assign responsibility for temperature management, and review office layouts to minimise hot and cold spots for staff.