When people are expected to perform at their very best in extreme heat, it often proves to be almost impossible. At the latest, once the thermometer in the office climbs above 25 °C, concentration goes out the window. But what can be done about sweating at work?
- Working in a hot office: increase humidity?
- What can I do about heat in the office?
- Heat in the office: how can I cool down?
- What else helps against sweating in the office?
- Heat in the office: do you get time off because of the heat?
Working in a hot office: increase humidity?
Most people know the supposedly good advice that in dry heat, damp towels should be hung up. These increase the humidity in the office and in any other room and make it a few degrees cooler. That is true! What is not mentioned, however, is that the higher humidity, which creates a certain mugginess, puts significantly more strain on the human circulatory system.
Heat in the office and high humidity can become a problem, especially for people with pre-existing conditions, low blood pressure or for pregnant women. Those affected not only sweat more, they may also have to deal with nausea and dizzy spells, and in the worst case even circulatory collapse. It goes without saying that work suffers even more when you are generally feeling unwell. The tip to increase humidity may well be good and valid, but it should be applied depending on the individual fitness and health of the person concerned. Anyone who can only slump into their office chair because their blood pressure has hit rock bottom is unlikely to be able to deliver the desired performance.
What can I do about heat in the office?
If you are looking for tips on how to cool down in a hot office, you have come to the right place! The following advice helps reduce the temperature by a few degrees and makes working much more pleasant:
AIR OUT THE OFFICE IN THE MORNING WHEN IT'S HOT
In summer, it is advisable to start the day as early as possible. As a rule, this is also possible wherever flexitime has been agreed. In the morning it is still cool, and a short intensive airing can lower the temperature in the office rooms by a few degrees. It is also the ideal time to tackle tasks that require a high level of concentration. The real office heat has not yet set in, and the fresh morning air is invigorating. After airing, the room should be darkened. Not too much though; the aim is simply to keep the sun out. Daylight should still be allowed into the room, otherwise the combination of office heat and darkness quickly becomes tiring.
JUST SWITCH OFF FOR A MOMENT
That’s surely what anyone who has to sit and work in a hot office would wish for. But what’s really meant here are technical devices that are not currently needed. If they are switched off, they can no longer give off heat that adds to the temperature and raises it further in the office.
USE DESK FANS AND DEHUMIDIFIERS
A fan provides a pleasant airflow and circulates the thick, heavy air in the room. It becomes easier to breathe when the heat turns the office into a sauna. Dehumidifiers are also very helpful and should be used in hot, humid conditions. On days when the air really feels thick enough to cut, a dehumidifier helps make the office climate more pleasant again.
Heat in the office: How can I cool down?
The tips mentioned so far for dealing with heat in the workplace are intended to improve the air and climate in the office itself. But you can also do something yourself to cool down. Diet in particular can influence how hot you feel and make working in a hot office more bearable. Make a conscious effort to drink noticeably more than usual. After all, concentration suffers not only because of excessively high temperatures in the office , but also because of poor hydration. On hot days, the body loses a lot of fluid, which needs to be replenished by drinking regularly. Fill a carafe with water and set yourself a time limit by which it should be empty! This helps anyone who tends to forget to drink.
In addition, only light meals should be eaten when the office is hot. Fruit and vegetables in particular, steamed at lunchtime, help reduce the strain on the circulation and metabolism. It is also less tiring if the body is not busy with demanding digestion.
What else helps against sweating in the office?
Sweating in the office can be reduced not only through diet. If the heat keeps building up in the office, further measures need to be taken. Clothing should fit loosely and be made of cooling materials. Linen and silk are ideal summer fabrics. If there is a dress code at work, it often helps to speak to your manager, because when the office is hot, it should also be acceptable to switch from a long-sleeved to a short-sleeved business shirt. Heat in the workplace can also be avoided if working hours are handled flexibly. Of course, this is not easily possible in sectors with fixed opening hours and customer traffic. But the worst office heat can also be avoided by starting work an hour earlier in the morning. Perhaps your boss would agree to having some tasks done from the home office? Not every task really has to be done at the desk can be carried out in the office, because in many cases the only thing that matters is that the task gets done, not where it is done. Anyone needing tips on how to cool down in a hot office can also try relaxation exercises and should spend their breaks outdoors in the shade. Important: More frequent (even if shorter) breaks make sense when it’s hot in the office!
Heat in the office: Is there such a thing as a heat day in the office?
There used to be heat days at school. The outdoor pool was calling, and from midday the pupils could go home. But is there also such a thing as a heat day in the office? Unfortunately not, because the legislator assumes adults are significantly more resilient than schoolchildren. Sweating at the workplace has to be accepted within certain limits, even though the employer has a duty of care towards employees. However, the Workplace Ordinance does not specify any clear threshold values to protect employees, so it remains a matter of discretion how to respond to heat in the office. Older employees and pregnant women are given particular protection, as are people who have to work outdoors. In the employer’s own interest for the company’s success, every effort should be made to increase well-being in the workplace . This can also be achieved through suitable office furniture , where ergonomics in particular should be a key consideration.