The First Facility Management Blog

As winter sets in across the country and companies turn up the heat, they may need to readjust the thermostat to keep their workers productive. According to a new CareerBuilder survey, when asked if the temperature at work affected their ability to get work done, more than one in five (22%) workers said that a “too hot” work environment made it difficult to concentrate. Eleven percent of workers said the same about a “too cold” work place.

Overall, more than a quarter (27%) of workers describe the temperature at their work place as “too hot.” On the flip side, 19% reported that the temperature was “too cold,” while 54% said it was “just right.”

Differing opinions on what is too hot or too cold for the office can sometimes cause conflict among cubicle mates. In fact, 10% of workers said they have fought with a co-worker over the office temperature.

Worker disputes over temperature aren’t the only thing affecting work place climate; the economy is also playing a part. In an effort to save money, nearly one in five (19%) workers feel that their company has turned down the office temperature this year.

“There are many factors that can affect work place productivity,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. “Everything from morale, burnout, and as our survey finds, temperature, can have an impact on workers’ ability to get their work done. If temperature is a concern, workers and employers can easily work together to find common ground so productivity does not suffer.”

Office feeling too hot or too cold? Haefner offers the following tips to maintain productivity regardless of temperature:

• Thermostat talk: Does one of your co-workers like the office steaming while you prefer a chillier work space? Instead of secretly changing the thermostat behind each other’s backs, send around an e-mail to your floor or directly discuss a compromise on temperature with your colleagues.
• Layer it on (or off): The best way to prepare for a fluctuating office climate is to layer your clothing. That way, you can remove or add items so that you are comfortable and able to do your best work.
• Make it work: If you know that a particular time of day or space in the office is too warm or too cold for you to work productively, be proactive by finding an alternative. Talk to your manager about coming in earlier, moving to a conference room for a portion of the day or telecommuting.

Facility managers and business owners are thinking twice before tweaking workplace temperature settings. According to a new survey of office workers, 69% said they would be willing to sacrifice their preferred ideal temperature in the office to help their company conserve energy. However the survey also found that nearly four in five participants (78%) say they are less productive at work when they are too hot or too cold.

Johnson Controls commissioned a survey of nearly 800 American adults who work in an office setting. The good news: The findings indicate that many workers think their employers could be doing more to be energy efficient. The challenge: business owners must avoid a negative impact on office productivity and the possibility that workers may take action to circumvent their discomfort, including the use of portable heaters or fans, if temperatures are not ideal.

“Employers may be tempted to turn down the thermostats this fall, but this quick fix could lead to hidden costs,” said Clay Nesler, vice president of Global Energy and Sustainability, Johnson Controls. “Energy efficient systems and equipment is the win-win alternative, allowing businesses to save energy and money without sacrificing workplace productivity.”

Almost all participants (98%) said their office has been too hot or too cold at some point and when that occurs, most (78%) said they are less productive. Not only does workplace productivity suffer, individual actions—such as bringing a heating or cooling device into the office—result in increased energy use.

Additional findings:

• 49% of office workers have used a fan when it was too hot in their office, and 28% used a space heater when it was too cold.
• Nearly one-third (30%) have left their office building to take a walk outside when it was too hot or too cold in their work space.
• 41% have informed their office manager or custodian of their discomfort.
• Approximately seven in 10 (69%) have adjusted their clothing, such as adding a sweater, if was too cold or removing a layer if it was too hot.

American workers expect their employers to take action. The results indicate that 45% think their employer is not doing enough to make their office environments energy efficient.

The International Facility Management Association has released Temperature Wars: Savings vs. Comfort (available to download for free at this link: hvacsurvey2009), a new study that takes an in-depth look at the most common thermal complaints made by workers and the variety of ways facility professionals respond to them.

For many years, IFMA has surveyed facility professionals to learn the top office complaints among employees. Respondents consistently cite the temperature being too hot or too cold as the most frequent grievances they hear — surpassing high noise levels, limited space, and unpleasant odors. Recent IFMA research also shows that many facility professionals are adjusting the thermostat to higher settings in the summer and lower settings in the winter in an effort to cut energy consumption and costs.

This 2009 study identifies when most thermal complaints occur, the nature of the complaints, and the actions taken to make workers more comfortable and able to concentrate on their jobs. Not surprisingly, survey respondents again report that the most common heating, ventilating, and air conditioning complaints they receive are that the temperature is too cold (94%) or too hot (91%). Indoor air quality complaints are a distant third (25%), followed by too drafty (21%) and too noisy (16%).

Building occupants adjust to thermal comfort issues in different ways, the most common of which are through the use of personal fans (66%) or by a change in clothing (64%). Also popular with workers — though not with building management — is the use of personal heaters, which 60% of facility professionals report seeing. Many survey respondents say that personal heaters are not allowed, however, because they present a fire hazard.Other responses include using stand alone air conditioning units, blankets, and even small wading pools under the desk.

“We have people with lap blankets and fingerless gloves on,” said one respondent. “Sad, isn’t it?” [NOTE: I keep a pair of fingerless gloves in my desk drawer for just this purpose.]

When it comes to addressing occupants’ thermal complaints, 90% of facility professionals say they check the temperature in the area where the complaint was made to see if it is within standards; 87% validate that the HVAC system is working properly; and 75% adjust thermostats to provide for greater worker comfort. Less popular responses include encouraging the occupant to wear layered clothing (35%) and temporarily moving the worker to another area (4%). Others report taking a vote of all occupants in a given control zone; asking people for a budget code to charge them for additional costs associated with running units more than agreed upon parameters; or simply doing nothing.

“We sometimes say we’ll make an adjustment, but don’t,” said one respondent. “This actually seems to work.” “Usually, a prompt response saying that we are handling it is key,” said another. “Then, we follow up in a couple of hours to find out if the ‘adjustments’ made an improvement. Often, we haven’t actually physically done anything to change the temperature.”

During the summer months, survey respondents say they hear complaints that the temperature is both too hot (66%) and too cold (58%). However, 57% of facility professionals say their company does not relax the dress code during the summer to improve occupant comfort, whereas 43% say their company does. Summer “pre-cooling,” a practice in which cool outdoor air is brought into a building at night, was reported by 47% of survey respondents.

The majority of those surveyed say temperatures at their facility are centrally controlled and cannot be regulated by individual occupants (56%). Forty two percent say that temperatures in their buildings are zone controlled, allowing facility managers and sometimes occupants to adjust the thermostat, and 2% report buildings that feature individual occupant or work station temperature control.

Energy efficiency is of prime importance to facility professionals, with the vast majority of respondents saying they utilize a number of energy saving techniques. Seventy seven percent say that they have updated or replaced an HVAC system or components; 73% have verified that their building automation system is working as designed; and 52% have installed more efficient light fixtures to reflect less heat. Common responses also include modifying ductwork (27%), installing new window shades (24%) and adding window film to improve thermal properties (24%).

The survey was drafted with the assistance of several HVAC experts and taken during June and July 2009. It is based on the responses of 473 IFMA members, with a margin of error of approximately +/- 5%