Since interning in an office, I’ve begun to notice how cold the office is when I am working. Co-workers walk around with their blankets and keep heated blankets at their desks due to the freezing temperatures in the room. I always go into my boss’s office to complain about the freezing temperatures, and he laughs and tells me that office room temperatures are sexist!
Office room temperatures have been said to be sexist as many women feel colder in offices than men do. It was said that because men wear full suits and women often wear dresses the office room temperatures are set to appease men comfortability.
Men.
Research
A relatively newer research study published in POLS journal, suggests that males and females are impacted differently when it comes to productiveness and cognitively when the room temperatures are altered.
The research was conducted by having men and women do different tasks involving adding numbers and verbal building. “Results show that within a temperature range of 16 and 33 degrees Celsius, females generally exhibit better cognitive performance at the warmer end of the temperature distribution while men do better at colder temperatures,” according to the POLS research.
Most office rooms stay in colder temperatures, resulting in the effects of women’s performances. Many offices often cater to male temperatures due to the number of men in office.
Another study, which was a survey done between March 2000 and Dec. 2019, found that women were more likely to be uncomfortable with the workroom temperatures. It is said that this “overcooling” in offices will likely increase in the future.
My experience
I am always cold in this office, and I sit here writing this, freezing my tail off. I’ve noticed that when I am working, I do feel more tired and it’s always hard to type when my hands are cold. Now it is not only women in my office who feel cold, some men feel the colder temperatures as well because not all of us are dressed in suits and dresses.
With the cold temperatures in multiple offices, I believe it leaves us to question and push the discussion of the unnecessary cold temperatures in workspaces. It may seem silly to most who never experienced it but when you understand it in reality, it is unfortunate to most.
When you begin working in an office workspace, I want you to question the temperature and see if you notice if it is any colder there and then maybe we can all really push the question of is this temperature necessary.