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Does Warmth Make Us Less Productive?

October 25, 2011 18 Comments

mittensIs that why it’s so bleeping cold at the office?

The last time I worked in a place that was reasonably warm was January 2004. I hadn’t yet resigned my job as an administrative assistant for the Parks, Recreation & Cemeteries Department for the City of Henderson, Kentucky. My office was in a house on the grounds of one of the municipal cemeteries. It had been converted to office space when the groundskeeper retired, and my two co-workers and I had complete control of the thermostat in that three bedroom ranch. It was heaven.

These days thermostats in the workplace are just for show. And when you complain to the maintenance crew about how bloody cold it is, you’re lucky if they even take the time to roll their eyes at you before blowing you off.

At other jobs I was known to wear two or three layers to work all year long and still freeze, my hands so cold it hurt to scroll with my mouse. I know I’m not crazy, because I can name five coworkers right off the top of my head who have used space heaters under their desks. Plus, my proofreading predecessor left a couple of those emergency hand warmers in my file cabinet. If that’s not a terrible omen, I don’t know what is.

Bless her dear heart for thinking she wouldn’t need them at her new job.

Anyway, one time back in the day, I recall being in the women’s restroom with two fellow coworkers. The first was taking a little longer than usual to rinse the soap from her hands at the sink. “I’m not crazy,” she told the second. “This water is warm.”

The other woman stuck her hands under the faucet and said, “This water is downright hot! I didn’t know we had water heaters!” When I tried it out for myself, I estimated the water temperature to be a perfect 125° F/52° C—virtually unheard of in public or workplace restrooms.

The first woman quickly begged of us, “Please don’t complain to maintenance. I’ve been coming in here on my breaks to thaw.”

Photo credit: Aine D


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About Emily Suess

Emily Suess is a freelance marketing copywriter in Indianapolis, Indiana and a regular contributor at Small Business Bonfire.
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  • Leighann

    I wear two layers at work everyday because it is so cold. I am the only one who hasn’t purchased a space heater yet.
    I am on the look out for a cheap one.

    • http://blog.emilysuess.com Emily Suess

      I had one before I started my current job, but tossed it in a pile of things headed for Goodwill. Oops.

  • http://twitter.com/Incandescere Candace Nicholson

    Oh honey, this is a very sore subject for me. The heating issue has left me getting treated like a red-headed stepchild in damn near every office I’ve ever worked in since the age of 17.

    I’ve only had 1 job that didn’t require me to triple layer on a daily basis (camisole, t-shirt, shirt or sweater). It was a downtown company and I worked as a proofreader on their 600-page catalog for 4 months. I had to walk 5 blocks from the Union Station parking garage everyday, but it was worth it to just sit in an office where some jackass didn’t tell me to put on a sweater when I said it was cold there.

    I especially love hearing that ignorance when I’m standing there in a sweater, thermal underwear henley and camisole. If my finders won’t bend, it’s too cold in here!

    We’re never allowed to have space heaters where I work, but you can have fans. So why are the non-Eskimos forced to freeze?

    • http://blog.emilysuess.com Emily Suess

      I guess they’re probably worried about overloading circuits and fire hazards with space heaters. But I don’t think that’s any excuse for an office to be so cold in the first place. It’s insanity, I tell you!

      • http://twitter.com/Incandescere Candace Nicholson

        Exactly. If you didn’t keep it so damn cold, people wouldn’t need space heaters. I think it’s just companies being too cheap to heat their buildings in the winter.

        Which makes no sense because they blast the air conditioning in the summer, and that must cost a fortune.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1437395115 Margie Farago

      I found the perfect heater:   Ra-Key, the Radiant Keyboard, Mouse and
      Desktop Heater.  It’s energy efficient (uses much less electricity than a
      space heater), built in timer, tip-over safety protection, and quiet. 
      Keeps me toasty warm!  I’m always cold and this heater is just perfect
      for me.  You can find it at http://www.keyboardheater.com

  • http://twitter.com/Incandescere Candace Nicholson

    Oh honey, this is a very sore subject for me. The heating issue has left me getting treated like a red-headed stepchild in damn near every office I’ve ever worked in since the age of 17.

    I’ve only had 1 job that didn’t require me to triple layer on a daily basis (camisole, t-shirt, shirt or sweater). It was a downtown company and I worked as a proofreader on their 600-page catalog for 4 months. I had to walk 5 blocks from the Union Station parking garage everyday, but it was worth it to just sit in an office where some jackass didn’t tell me to put on a sweater when I said it was cold there.

    I especially love hearing that ignorance when I’m standing there in a sweater, thermal underwear henley and camisole. If my finders won’t bend, it’s too cold in here!

    We’re never allowed to have space heaters where I work, but you can have fans. So why are the non-Eskimos forced to freeze?

  • http://www.girlyfight.com Stacia

    I will say that being warm makes me sleepy and now that I work at home, I find myself sometimes sitting on the cold porch when I need to be alert. But there’s also a temperature at which my body just sorta shuts down because of the cold. My last workplace was also an icebox. In almost 10 years, I had 4 different office locations on 3 different floors on 3 different sides of the building. They were all freezing cold. Layers, fingerless gloves, space heaters and too many cups of coffee just for the warmth were all part of my daily routine. Ridiculous.

    • http://blog.emilysuess.com Emily Suess

      It’s crazy isn’t it? I mean, especially in the summer. Turning the thermostat even a couple of clicks could actually save some money!

    • http://twitter.com/Incandescere Candace Nicholson

      I’ve never been particularly that alert when I’m cold. It’s more like miserably awake.

      My muscles ache and my joints are sore. And generally speaking, I work slower when I can’t move as well as I can when I’m actually comfortable.

      • http://www.girlyfight.com Stacia

        I should rephrase – I don’t want to be COLD. But cool works well for me. It’s enough to jolt me back to an alert state. At least for awhile. I definitely don’t like the idea of being cold enough to have aching body parts!

  • http://www.girlyfight.com Stacia

    I will say that being warm makes me sleepy and now that I work at home, I find myself sometimes sitting on the cold porch when I need to be alert. But there’s also a temperature at which my body just sorta shuts down because of the cold. My last workplace was also an icebox. In almost 10 years, I had 4 different office locations on 3 different floors on 3 different sides of the building. They were all freezing cold. Layers, fingerless gloves, space heaters and too many cups of coffee just for the warmth were all part of my daily routine. Ridiculous.

  • Mahesh Raj Mohan

    I’m very warm-natured, so it takes a lot for me to feel cold, and I’m generally less productive when I feel warm or hot.

  • Anonymous

    Our office was a meat locker earlier this month. We finally complained to the office manager (after a co-worker who is always overheated said that she was freezing – we knew it was time to take action!) Later that day, the office manager caught the IT Dir in the closet trying to turn the AC back up! Apparently he was the only person in the office who wasn’t freezing his you-know-whats off. 

  • Kttbm

    I work in the artic tundra… I can relate. We are expecting a winter storm this evening and I have my blanket and big furry socks under my desk because the heat in this building is considered a luxury apparently. My coffee intake doubles during the winter to keep warm.

  • Lisa

    I can relate – I have worked in these freezing corporate buildings before, I am lucky I can wear what I want at home and turn the heat up when I work now! 

  • Jackie

    So true!  Our office is always cold.  Most of my coworkers sitting by me have a space heater.  I don’t.  But, I’m so close to wearing my gloves.  It’s not even funny!  When we ask for them to turn the heat up, maintenance comes over, but I swear they don’t do anything.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1437395115 Margie Farago

    I found the perfect heater:   Ra-Key, the Radiant Keyboard, Mouse and Desktop Heater.  It’s energy efficient (uses much less electricity than a space heater), built in timer, tip-over safety protection, and quiet.  Keeps me toasty warm!  I’m always cold and this heater is just perfect for me.  You can find it at http://www.keyboardheater.com