Heatwaves are becoming the norm – and they are increasingly affecting workforces in a negative way.
Nearly two thirds (61 per cent) of UK office workers feel they are less productive in the workplace when the summer heat hits – with 27 per cent stating they lose more than an hour a day in productive work time.
Insights from the Global Payroll Alliance (GPA) also show that 30 per cent of workers report losing between 30 to 60 minutes a day, revealing the scale of the productivity loss as temperatures rise during the summer months.
The survey of 1,132 UK office workers – conducted on behalf of The GPA via consumer research platform, Find Out Now – also uncovered the primary reasons behind the drop in productivity, with 25 per cent of respondents citing feeling tired or sluggish as the main factor. Meanwhile, 18 per cent blamed uncomfortable office temperatures and difficulty concentrating.
Other factors include excessive sweating and discomfort (15 per cent), poor air quality or ventilation (14 per cent) and dehydration or headaches (10 per cent).
Worryingly, less than half (49 per cent) of workers reported that their employer takes steps to reduce the impact of hot weather on staff productivity.
Melanie Pizzey, CEO of the Global Payroll Alliance, said:
Working in the heat is never pleasant, but it’s something we’ve all come to expect during the summer months. However, as our summers continue to get hotter, this is a very real concern that many employers need to take more seriously.
“The UK is ill-equipped to deal with the heat, and with temperatures only expected to keep rising over the coming years, now is the time to make changes to ensure a happy and productive workforce. The failure to do so could have some very real repercussions, particularly for staff handling vital tasks such as payroll. Mistakes made due to dehydration, sluggishness, and the effects of heat in the workplace could prove very costly, not to mention they could undermine productivity in the long term.”
The data also showed that 83% of respondents believe that employers should take the increasingly hot weather more seriously as a productivity and wellbeing issue.
Heatwave offices CREDIT Sanketh Rao at Pexels – pexels-sankyrao90-673588
