UK office workers struggle to cope in the heat

A survey of 1,000 workplaces by IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s largest online supplier of ironmongery products, reveals that in 65 per cent of offices workers are left tired, drowsy, irritable, and unable to concentrate by soaring office temperatures.

As a result the quality of their work suffers. Over half of office workers say that they are less productive in a hot work environment and more than one in five say that they struggle to get any work done.

Top of the list of hot-worker bugbears are office smells (the top complaint for 44 per cent of workers), especially smells from sweaty co-workers.

People also find office environments stuffy and struggle to breathe properly, meaning that many will open windows or even prop open fire doors in order to let in fresh air.

Wayne Lysaght-Mason, managing director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “While not every office can have full air-conditioning, bosses can clearly do more to create a comfortable working environment.

“Adapting windows and doors so that they can let in fresh air is a simple measure that can be taken in any office. Especially important are measures to ensure fire doors that are propped open will close in the event of a fire. Simple and cheap door closers, such as those by Dorgard, can be easily fitted to keep workers comfortable and safe.”