Does Air Conditioning Can Boost Office Productivity?

Keeping your employees productive in the office can be a challenge. With the hot summers and cold winters, employee productivity can significantly decrease due to the physical discomfort of staff. The good news is that air conditioning can help with this! With a well maintained HVAC system and the right temperature settings, you can create a comfortable working environment for your employees that will make them happy and in turn more productive. And as an employer, that’s good for business!

Here are just some of the ways that office air conditioning can improve productivity.

1. Comfortable working environment

A comfortable work environment can considerably improve employee productivity. If the workplace is too hot, employees will feel sleepy, tired, sluggish, and irritable. If the workplace is too cold, employees will feel ill, numb, stiff, or lethargic due to reduced blood circulation. In both cases, it can make it harder for them to focus and concentrate on their work.

If the temperature is cool when it’s hot, or warm when it’s cold, and employees are comfortable, then productivity can drastically be increased. So make sure that your air conditioning system is set to the right temperature and humidity level depending on the weather or season.

2. Maintain a stable temperature

Maintaining a stable temperature can also make the office comfortable to work in, and your employees more productive all year round. The ideal temperature for maximum office productivity is 21℃, and anything below or above this can significantly decrease productivity.

Of course, how hot or cold the weather is also needs to be taken into account when adjusting the temperature. For example, in summer the ideal temperature for greatest productivity in the workplace is 25℃, and in winter it’s 22℃.

3. Temperature and humidity control

A HVAC system that comes with a programmable thermostat can also help your employees feel more comfortable and happier in the workplace. Having control over their office’s thermostat or temperature and humidity levels can positively impact productivity, as well as morale.

A relative humidity level of around 40% is best for high performance, but this can be challenging during summer and winter. However, 27-29℃ at low humidity can be quite comfortable. You can have a humidifier built into your HVAC system in order to provide relief when the air is humid, and provide maximum humidity control.

It’s important to point out that there will still need to be room for compromise between individuals – especially between males and females and younger and older workers – as they can have distinct preferences when it comes to how warm or cold the office environment is. For example, older people are less productive in cold environments. So when someone wants to change the temperature setting, everyone must come to an agreement.

4. Stops health problems

By ensuring that the temperature and humidity level is right, you can also prevent health problems from occurring, and therefore improve productivity in the office. If it’s too cold for example, then your employees could end up getting ‘sick building syndrome’, where cold temperatures irritate the respiratory system, dry eyes, and dry skin, leading to more sick days.

On the other hand, if it’s too hot your employees could get heatstroke or a heat rash caused by excessive sweating during hot and humid weather. So make sure to keep the office properly warm when it’s cool, and vice versa. A good quality and well maintained air conditioning system can stop these health issues from happening, and therefore increase productivity and reduce sick days.

5. Technological equipment works better

An efficient air conditioning system is also important to your technology, especially IT technology that is sensitive to heat. With a controlled office setting, you can ensure that you don’t spend unnecessary costs on technological repairs or loose systems as a result of excessive, humid temperatures.

Most importantly, when your technology isn’t too hot to handle, your employees will be able to work with them as needed. And if your technological equipment is in proper working order it’ll also help boost productivity, because nobody can get fair with broken or faulty equipment. Air conditioning is crucial to maintaining the temperature balance of your technology and preventing it from breaking down.

So there you have it. By making sure your offices are kept cool or warm at the right temperatures and humidity level, you can help improve employee productivity in the workplace!

via 21 Celsius AC