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Improve Employee Productivity with Ideal Indoor Temperatures

Employee productivity in the workplace is influenced by a variety of factors. One of these key elements is AC efficiency. Indoor office temperature and workplace productivity go hand-in-hand, and one issue that’s getting more and more attention. As an employer or business manager, improve your workers’ outputs by providing top-quality commercial air conditioning at the office.

According to the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), the top two complaints of office workers are the office being too cold and too hot respectively. Closely followed by poor cleaning service, lack of conference or meeting rooms, lack of storage and filing space in the workstation, poor indoor air quality, lack of privacy in the workstation, insufficient parking, technical/computer problems, and noise.

Most of the criticisms on the list are very likely discussed in other articles across the web. The ones we’d like to address are the issues of inefficient and inconsistent temperature control and bad indoor air quality levels.

Productivity Goals Linked to AC Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality

Keeping your AC unit at the office running effectively is one way to achieve your company’s productivity goals. CareerBuilder conducted a survey that shows one in five workers or 20 percent have argued with a fellow employee about office temperatures being either too cold or too warm. 18 percent revealed that they have surreptitiously adjusted the temperature. Furthermore, the survey exposed that a significant number of employees feel less productive when it’s too cold or too hot, more so when it’s too warm due to extreme discomfort.

Another study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information indicated that refining the quality of indoor air can increase productivity and work performance by 6 to 9 percent.

When your employees are not feeling well and comfortable enough in the office, the results are absenteeism and low performance.  Moreover, an inefficient commercial air conditioning unit will not let you properly control office temperatures and produce clean indoor air.

Ideal Office Temperature

It may seem like a vaguely general term since what’s ideal for someone is not always the case for everyone else, but a lot of surveys done show that the perfect office temperature should be between 71°F and 79°F (21°C and 26°C) for excellent comfort. Despite that, not even the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has standard regulations for the matter. They do, however, recommend well-circulated air with a humidity between 20 and 60 percent. Too much humidity will make the air feel heavy. It can even spread viruses and bacterias, which in turn will spread illness. Sick days will most certainly affect your workplace efficiency.

Remember that one temperature setting is not going to work for all of the office employees. Specific factors such as seasons, body type, health conditions, etc. will affect how one responds to the temperature in the room.

Thermostat Conflicts

Office managers and human resources personnel are no stranger to pacifying thermostat issues brought up by employees. Inconsistent and unstable temperatures may likely be due to the design, installation, and maintenance, or lack thereof, of your commercial air conditioning unit.

Your office’s HVAC system may not be fulfilling the demands of your office layout. You’ve probably neglected routine maintenance. Either way, a professional can help you monitor, inspect, and determine if your unit has worn out parts or if you need to rework the design and placement of it.

Bottom Line

As an office manager or business owner, you hold the responsibility in maintaining clean indoor air and pleasant, comfortable temperatures in your office. The most advantageous solution is to work with a reputable HVAC company and establish a scheduled preventative maintenance plan for your commercial air conditioning unit. If your unit has not been looked at in a while, the temperature discrepancy is a direct result of it. From clogged filters to frozen coils to leaky ductwork, these issues can also significantly increase your energy costs. A licensed and certified HVAC technician can give your unit a thorough checkup, recommend solutions for diagnosed issues, check ventilation, and professionally clean the entire system.

Bottom line: The investment you will make in routine preventive maintenance will promote happiness and comfort and save on energy costs, which will, in turn, boost productivity in the workplace. If you are in charge of an office and you need to strategize a plan on how to achieve your company goals, turn your attention to your property’s AC and ventilation units.

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