Why cold employees are costing you 10% more per hour

Fall is on its way and temperatures will soon be dropping. If your employees aren’t feeling the effects of your central heating, it may be costing you.

Cornell University researchers conducted a study regarding temperatures in office environments and found that low temperatures — around 68 degrees — caused employees to commit 44% more errors and were less than half as productive as they were when the temperature was 77 degrees.

This drop in performance was found to cost employers 10% more per hour, per employee.

Not only that but cold employees were found to perceive others as less generous and caring — a cold disposition, one could say. This certainly wouldn’t help with productivity or collaboration with other employees.

Warm up

A forthcoming paper from researchers at UCLA shows that brief exposure to warmer temperatures leads people to report higher job satisfaction. When employees are warm, they let their guard down and view others through a more calm scope.

More research shows that the mind unconsciously links warmth with affection, which explains people’s sensitivity to cold temperatures. The cold can leave people feeling isolated and lonely.

So, first and foremost, make sure that heating system is working properly. Employees wearing gloves and hoodies in the office means there’s some discomfort on their end. And the rest of the office might be feeling it, too.

How’s the temperature in your office? Have you experienced problems with cold offices in the past? Let us know in the comments.