Discover how office temperature influences employee productivity

Did you know that employees that aren’t comfortable with the office temperature are not as productive as those who are? This is a real issue in Australian offices, and can be very difficult to manage, as what is comfortable for one person may not be for the next. You can adjust the air conditioner all you like, but the reality is that there is no one temperature that will please every employee.

So, as a business owner what can you do? Never fear, all is not lost. While the optimal air conditioner settings for each individual might be different, you can still aim to keep the average optimal settings on your office air conditioning system. This is the best tactic available to you when trying to get the highest productivity levels from your employees.

Optimal Productivity Temperatures

According to studies, it is recommended that the temperature in an office should be 25 degrees Celsius. Set your air conditioning unit to 25 and watch as productivity increases. Temperature settings between 28 and 33 degrees Celsius have shown productivity to drop by between 3% and 13%. Every degree makes a difference, so pay careful attention to what works for your employees.

Keep an eye on humidity levels

Keeping the correct humidity levels is crucial to maintaining employee productivity. Having, low humidity levels in the office can cause workers to feel uncomfortable and therefore decrease productivity. Low humidity levels can also leave employees more susceptible to illness, which is never good for productivity. On the other hand, high humidity levels in the workplace cause condensation and encourages the growth of mould, which makes for an unpleasant work environment.

Stock the fridge

Hydrated employees will feel the effects of warm weather less. Encourage workers to drink less caffeinated drinks and to increase their water intake. Install a water fountain near the air conditioner to give employees a place to escape the heat and really shill for a few minutes in the middle of a busy day. Employees who are not hydrated properly will find it difficult to concentrate on any one task for very long.

Air conditioning

The air conditioning unit in your office is vital in the extreme Australian summers to maintaining a comfortable working environment for your employees. Since each person working in the office will have different preferences regarding the optimal temperature, why not run a survey. This will give you some valuable knowledge to work off when trying to figure out what conditions are optimal for productivity.

Ventilation

Air conditioning systems are the go-to for many business owners in terms of maintaining a steady office temperature. However, there are some greener alternatives, which should not be overlooked, and ventilation is one of these. If your office has windows on both sides of the building, consider opening these to create a draught of fresh air through the office. Not only will this keep the office cool but it will also provide more natural light which is a fantastic, natural energy booster. Allowing the warm air a chance to escape and allowing fresh air in is vital to keeping your employees on their toes.

The bottom line

No matter what way you look at it, the bottom line is your employee’s productivity levels have a direct impact on your company’s success. Air conditioning, optimum temperatures, humidity levels, proper ventilation and hydration are all critical to this success. Remember, as temperatures change from day to day, so will your employee’s comfort levels. Always be considerate of these changes and listen to what your employees have to say. The optimum air conditioner settings will change on a daily basis depending on how your employees are feeling. Be sensitive to this and you will see productivity levels rise, even if temperatures do too.