Are suboptimal office environments harming productivity?

We all like to be comfortable at work, but is it possible that conditions of the office environment can have a detrimental impact on productivity? Maintaining consistency of temperature may seem like a relatively simple aspect of running an office, but there are a number of external factors that can disrupt comfort levels, causing employees to lose focus.

Research into the effect of climate control has shown that employee dissatisfaction can be partially tied to temperature, so investing in better monitoring solutions is a smart strategy.

The link between temperature and productivity

A study of office workers in the United States conducted by Software Advice revealed that almost half of all respondents felt dissatisfied with the temperature in their office at least several times a month, with 10 per cent feeling affected every single day.

These employees felt that dealing with ongoing discomfort and frustration was hampering their ability to do their best work, with 22 per cent agreeing that greater temperature control would significantly improve their productivity. Perhaps making matters worse, 40 per cent of survey respondents added that they have no ability to alter the temperature in their environment, suggesting all they can do is bear with their discomfort.

While implementing a thermostat system that allows anyone to adjust office temperature at will may not be the best option – each person will likely have different feelings about the right conditions – ensuring HVAC systems are correctly configured and maintained is a good start.

Maintaining HVAC systems with Testo

Understanding that environmental conditions can have an impact on employee satisfaction and productivity, the tools to maintain your HVAC system is essential. Testo has an array of instruments for technicians to gather accurate measurements on system performance, with solutions available for regular testing of a multi-outlet ventilation system or gaining precise data on flow velocity and volume, absolute pressure, temperature, and relative humidity.

For further automation in temperature monitoring, the Saveris 2 system can be calibrated to alert key stakeholders when conditions reach levels above or below a defined comfort zone. Speak to your employees about conditions that everyone is happy with and set your parameters accordingly – and should those levels be exceeded, an email or SMS notification from the Saveris 2 will allow you to adjust the thermostat when required.

Testo has plenty of tools to help optimise comfort levels in your workplace – get in touch with us today.