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Warm Offices Boost Productivity

Posted by michael on from the turn-down-the-frigging-air-conditioning dept.

bluelip writes "It looks like the real reason for offshoring is corporations looking for warmer weather. Instead of paying the energy bills to crank up the heat in the office to a more productive temperature, the offices are moving to warmer areas. This article shows a 44% error reduction and 150% increase in productivity for those working in warmer offices. Will this increase in output be enough to convince my boss to pay for us to vacation-commute from a tropical island?"

4 of 520 comments (clear)

  1. The Suits by dykofone · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I always assumed offices were so cold to keep all of the "suits" comfortable as they went about their corporate level day. I know I'd certainly be sweating having to wear a coat inside while showing some Japanese investors around.

    Which is why I doubt the AC is gonna be lowered anytime soon. It would be a battle between HR and upper management, and while certainly a glorious battle it would be, uppper management usually wins.

  2. 100% by slimak · · Score: 4, Interesting
    At 77 degrees Fahrenheit, the workers were keyboarding 100 percent of the time...

    100% of the time? Does this seem a little high to anyone else? Don't people take breaks for bathroom, /., etc?

  3. Conclusion unwarranted by wombatmobile · · Score: 4, Interesting

    When the office temperature in a month-long study increased from 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, typing errors fell by 44 percent and typing output jumped 150 percent.

    Those data don't warrant the conclusion "Warm Offices Boost Productivity."

    The improvement could simply be a result of the change. The gains might not be sustained over time. Lowering the temperature another 3 degrees six weeks later could also yield an improvement.

    A change is as good as a holiday.

    Warmth may seem great when you lack it but then the same can be said for coolness.

  4. Snooze by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I had an astrophysics prof in college from India who said in class, I kid you not, "It is very warm in here. It puts you to sleep. Maybe that is why the cooler northern countries have been historically more advanced industrially." Dunno if there is any truth to that but it certainly woke me up.

    --
    It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning