Having the right temperature settings inside your workplace can benefit you and your staff in many ways. According to a Helsinki University of Technology study cited by Chron, the ideal temperature in a work setting is between 69.8 degrees and 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Not only will adequate temperature control allow your employees to feel more comfortable, it can also help increase work productivity. Here are some of the main reasons why temperature control is essential to workplace productivity.
Sharper Concentration
It’s easier to focus on important work tasks when the temperature settings are right. A work setting that’s too hot can cause feelings of drowsiness and sluggishness. If the environment is too cold, blood flow is often slowed and can cause your staff to feel more lethargic. Excessive heat can also cause migraines and make it difficult for employees to think straight. It has been shown that as temperatures rise, more mistakes are made by employees as their minds are focused away from their work and toward regulating their own body temperature.
Energy Efficiency
While it may seem like spending more on air conditioning and heating is a waste of utility costs, it is much easier for your system to maintain a steady temperature rather than to fight to bring the temperature back in one direction or another after it has fallen beyond comfort levels. Companies like Arizona Refrigeration Service Inc suggest keeping your company system up to date on the latest energy efficiency standards by incorporating newer units. As advances in energy efficiency have been made, HVAC systems have become vastly more efficient than older models, and the regulations regarding energy efficiency in units have risen to meet them. Upgrading will allow you to maintain greater energy efficiency and prevent strain on your system.
Illness Prevention
Headaches, nausea, dizziness and runny noses are just some of the problems that could result if the inside temperatures are excessively high or low. Some of your employees may feel more inclined to call in sick more often if your business’s conditions are causing them to feel ill. Especially as flu seasons come and go, it’s important to ensure that your employees aren’t fighting feverish conditions or sitting in flu-breeding environments. Keeping them properly warm is equally essential, especially as their immune system works to fight against flu strains and could be made susceptible to catching the same flu twice if not properly supported.
Employee Satisfaction
Your staff members will likely be more satisfied and eager to come to work each day if you maintain a work environment with the right temperature controls. When forced to work in unfriendly working conditions, many people have been known to quit their jobs in favor of those with better working environments, and often carry bitter feelings on the industry as a whole when they do. If you constantly are failing to provide a comfortable working environment, you will experience massive turnovers, starting with your highest-qualified employees that have better options to turn to.
To run your operation more successfully, your business setting should never expect employees to work in inhospitable conditions. Doing so hurts both the business and the employees, and can even leave lasting hard feelings against a workplace when those employees decide to leave. Maintaining the ideal temperature can make a huge difference in the way that your company does business and maintains positive relations with your staff members.