An ideal work environment increases productivity, and the temperature has a lot to do with that ideal work environment. But what is the ideal office temperature? Well, this is what I am going to talk about with some additional HVAC tips.
Ideal Office Temperature – Why is it important & DIY tips
Ideal Office Temperature
According to the United States Department of Labor, the ideal office temperature should be between 68 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. And the office humidity should be between 30% to 60%.
Why Setting an Ideal Temperature is Crucial in Your Office?
Office temperature has a direct relation to the employees’ productivity. If the temperature is extremely low or high, employees will feel uncomfortable. They will try to take longer lunch or smoke breaks to keep themselves away from the uncomfortable office environment.
If this situation continues for a long time, employees will start losing their motivation to work for that company, which will eventually lower productivity.
For continuous business growth and innovation, bringing new talents is very crucial. But when the office temperature is hostile to the employees, companies will have difficulty attracting new talents. Because nowadays, while searching for jobs, people look for the best office environment and work culture. If the office environment is uncomfortable, talents will join other companies or businesses where the work environment is comfortable and provide other facilities.
3 DIY Solutions to Avoid While Fixing Office Temperature Issue
1. Furniture Rearrangement
When the office temperature is too cold or too high, many people think it is because of the inefficient furniture arrangement. And when they rearrange the office furniture without realizing the main reason, the situation gets even worse.
If the furniture arrangement doesn’t go with the HVAC design, the air inside the office will become stagnant. As a result, indoor air quality will drop down drastically. Besides, due to lack of ventilation, you’ll notice instability in temperature. That’s why before rearranging the office furniture, you should consult an HVAC technician or designer.
2. Installing Portable Heaters in the Office
Are employees feeling cold in your office? Should we just install a few portable heaters here and there?
No, things don’t work like this. When you install portable heaters in your office, it’s a temporary solution, and it comes with its own set of problems. For example, when you install portable heaters in your office, they are potential fire hazards in your office. As a company or business owner, you don’t want to put your employees at risk, right?
Besides, if you’re using an air conditioner along with portable heaters, it’ll put a lot of strain on the system, which will be resulting in frequent repairs.
3. Blocking the HVAC Vents
People think that if they block the AC vents, the temperature will go up. But when the AC vents are blocked, it can do a lot of damage to your cooling unit.
When you block the AC vents, your cooling system will have to function for long hours. As a result, it’ll start consuming more electricity, which will increase the office utility costs.
2 Things that Affect the Ideal Temperature
1. Humidity
If the humidity level is way below or above the standard level (between 40% to 60%), you won’t get the desired comfort no matter what temperature you set.
When the humidity is very high, say above 80%, your employees will feel sweaty even after setting the office temperature to a lower setting. Your employees will feel sticky, and trust me; no one enjoys working in such conditions. Again, if the humidity level is too low, say below 30%, your employees will start to feel dry, catch a cold, and have various respiratory issues.
To keep the humidity level in check, you should install a humidifier in your office space. Check our previous blogs about the 3 Benefits of Central Air Humidifiers.
2. Occupancy Rate
The occupancy rate has a direct relation to the ideal temperature. When the occupancy is higher in the office, the HVAC unit will have to produce more hot and cold air. And sometimes, due to various reasons, the HVAC unit cannot cope up with the load, resulting in temperature fluctuation.
The best way to solve this issue is by integrating an occupancy sensor into your HVAC unit. By adding an occupancy sensor, your HVAC unit will produce hot and cold air according to the number of people present in your office space.
See a summary of this content in this infographic – Ideal Office Temperature: HVAC Tips [Infographic]
