Productivity and Temperature
By LeAnna J. Carey | Sep 25, 2012
Robin Sharma says that, “better awareness leads to better decisions, which leads to better results.” Not too many would argue with Sharma because success speaks for itself and he is absolutely right. Let me ask you - are you aware of your room temperature right now? Is it too warm, too cold? The temperature of your work place as an impact on your productivity, according to Fast Company, in reporting a study conducted by researchers at Cornell University.
The research discovered that employees who worked in cold temperatures were less productive and more likely to make errors in their work. Researchers adjusted an office thermostat and found that when the temperature was set to 68 degrees, employees committed 44 percent more errors and were less than half as productive as when it was set to a warmer 77 degrees. The theory behind the decline in productivity that when your body's temperature drops, more energy is expended trying to keep warm; energy that is diverted from concentration, creativity and insight.
The opposite in temperature settings is true for achieving a good nights sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. In their survey, they asked what makes for a good nights sleep and six in ten, rated on a 5 point scale, indicated that the following elements were important:
· Quiet room (74%)
· Dark room (73%)
· Cool room temperature (67%)
· Fresh air, free of allergens (63%), and/or
· Clean bedroom (62%).
Your productivity can be impacted before you even get into the office from a too warm thermostat setting the previous night. You get enough curve balls thrown at you daily, but temperature awareness is something that can be controlled.