Office Temperature
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One of the touchiest subjects in any office is the room temperature. This has
probably touched off more arguments in the office than just about anything else.
It may seem like a small thing but people tend to be passionate about the
temperature. When it comes to controlling the thermostat, women typically like
to turn it up, while men turn it down.
There are pros and cons to keeping the office cool or warm. If it is cool,
people tend to be more alert but it may also affect the joints (as anyone with
arthritis can tell you). Interestingly, certain office equipment, such as
computers, operate better under cooler temperatures. On the other hand, a warm
room on a cold winter day is welcomed by just about everyone, but if it becomes
too warm, especially on a summer day, it can put people to sleep particularly
after lunch. It can also cause people to slowly become irritable, impatient and
irrational which isn't exactly conducive for a cooperative work environment.
If you leave the temperature to the employees to control, you'll probably
hear the thermostat click up and down like a pogo stick which inevitably drives
heating and air conditioning bills sky high. If you're an office manager, you
would be wise to put a lock on the thermostat and hide the key. Whatever you do,
don't turn the temperature over to the employees by a show of hands. I've seen
this done and believe it or not has led to a division in the employees and hurt
morale. As manager, you are responsible for controlling the work environment
which includes the temperature of the room as well as other things, such as
noise and cleanliness.
As for me, I'm of the school of keeping it "cool" as I would rather keep the
employees more alert during the work day. If you've got a problem with it,
they've got this new thing out to keep you warm: sweaters.
About the Author
Tim Bryce is a writer and management consultant located in Palm Harbor,
Florida.
http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm
He can be contacted at:
timb001@phmainstreet.com
Copyright © 2008 Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
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Article Published/Sorted/Amended on Scopulus 2008-01-23 00:32:19 in Employee Articles
