Grab your buckets and spades, this week is going to be a scorcher………
But as the mercury rises, the reality is that lots of us will be at our desks (unless you are fortunate enough to be reading this from a paddling pool…. we’re looking at you, agile workers). This got us to thinking how can we keep cool at work and, is there a maximum temperature so we can all go to the beach instead?
We hate to break the bad news, but there isn’t a maximum temperature in workplaces set but the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This is because some workplaces such as glass foundries require high levels of heat so it would be impractical to set a maximum temperature.
That’s not to say that if you are sweltering at your desk, it’s not worth a discussion with your employer. Where it might not be possible to fit an ice-cream truck into the office, if many staff are complaining about an excessively hot office, HSE recommends that a risk assessment is carried out and acted upon accordingly.
With the health and safety business taken care of, here are some other ways to keep cool and motivated.
Dress codes
You might have seen our recent thoughts in the Telegraph on workplace dress codes. If you have a strict dress code, it might be worth outlining a more relaxed approach to help employees to feel more comfortable in the heat
Get outside!
We are fortunate enough to be based right on the beach. If you have a nice place to escape to, why not encourage walking meetings and lunches together to make the most of the nice weather
Drink lots….of water
Dehydration is not only unhealthy but it can also massively affect your concentration. We always encourage drinking water from a glass rather than big bottles to encourage you to get moving more around the office for a refill. Make your desk a hydration station!
Take a break
It’s bizarre how many people need reminding about their holiday allowance. If the weather is going to be beautiful, make the most of it with a staycation and separate yourself completely from work with a digital detox.
Plan a BBQ!
If you can’t beat them, join them! Making the most of slow summer days with a team outing or BBQ. It doesn’t need to cost the earth and can do wonders for team bonding at work
Split your work into manageable chunks
Motivate yourself with a to-do list on your desktop. We love Momentum from the Google Chrome app store to help us keep track of our daily tasks. Used in conjunction with a Pomedoro timer, it can really help boost efficiency and productivity by splitting tasks into easily digestible chunks.
