A lot of us have already started to feel the first flushes of summer heat, a preview of what’s to come. If you’ve had your first taste, how did it feel to work through it? If the answer includes the words hot, stuffy, and uncomfortable, it might be time to think about how you deal with heat in the workplace. Here are a few options you can use to make sure that you stay cool, calm, and productive as the summer’s going to get a lot warmer yet, outside of making sure that your AC works as it should.
Shade those windows
The way the sun moves throughout the day means that some offices are going to get that sunlight piercing right through the windows, which can turn the office into an oven throughout the day. As such, taking the time to block the sunlight, whether it’s through reflective film on the outside of the windows (still allowing for decent natural light) or by installing blinds that can close off the office, is crucial. Similarly, don’t keep the windows open during the day. You might feel like you’re letting in fresh air but, really, you’re more likely to just let in heat.
Don’t let the heat seep through the walls
If you’re willing to do a little more in the way of renovation, then you should pay attention to your walls and how well your building is insulated. If you don’t have much in the way of insulation, you might think that it would be tough to install, but closed cell spray foam can, as the name implies, simply be sprayed into place. You might have to reinstall the outer wall after but if you have drywall that shouldn’t be too difficult.
Make sure they have water on demand
When the days are getting hotter, we’re likely to sweat more. Even if you keep the indoors cool, the heat from the outdoors is still going to affect your workers. This can lead to them becoming dehydrated more easily. To avoid this, and to maintain the health and wellbeing of your team, you need to make sure that you have easy access to water, whether it’s by having drinkable tap water on demand or plenty of water coolers that they can stop at to top up.
Add a little greenery
It might seem like adding some plantlife to the office isn’t going to do that much to stop the temperatures from rising, but they do have some use. For one, they can help give additional shade to the windows, keeping the sunlight’s glare from being quite as strong. What’s more, plants are known to absorb carbon dioxide. The higher the carbon dioxide content of the air, the more that it’s likely to retain heat. They might not make the hugest difference, but they can make a real difference.
The experience of your team, especially when it comes to the summer, is more than a comfort concern. Overheating can affect their health and wellbeing, too. It’s your responsibility to tackle it.
