Posted by Nikoletta Ventseslavova

Gain: ideas on how to overcome heat waves and be productive at work

We are in the midst of the hottest season. Temperatures are rising, Sun throws fire and brimstone, asphalt softens and so do our brains. We feel hot when the thermometer shows over 25° C. Heat is not as simple concept as it seems. It has at least four components: temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and solar radiation. Thus the urban jungle is always hotter than in the outskirts. Tall concrete buildings get heated; they emit heat and prevent wind circulating. On top of this some of us are obliged to wear suits to work, which are not the most comfortable clothes for a hot day.

Productivity suffers in the heat, whether we work outside or indoors, experts say. William Fisk, a senior scientist in Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, found that office buildings often have poorly controlled temperatures. The results showed that worker productivity falls by 3% when the temperature rises to 26 °c and drops with 10% when the indoor temperature reaches 30% °c. “People who are stressed by their environmental conditions get fatigued quicker and slow their movements and their metabolism,” he says.

According to the Center for Disease Control at high temperature,  “less blood goes to the active muscles, the brain and other internal organs; strength declines and fatigue occurs sooner. Alertness and mental capacity also are affected.” As a result, our blood flow is disturbed and our brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen. Hence, we feel lazy and lethargic, our ability to concentrate drops and we become less productive. All we want is to lie down with a cool drink and do nothing at all. The good news is that there are ways to overcome heat waves.

What employees can do:

Reduce the usage of air-conditioning devices . Use fans and air-conditioners only to expel heat from workplace and to increase airflow. It may sound contradictory, but when we use AC devices in every part of our lives this makes our body less adaptable and tolerant of the summer heat.  The adjustment from boiling heat outside to freezing air-conditioning indoors is unhealthy, doctors say.

Try to get the most demanding work done in the early hours of the day, ideally by mid-morning. Avoid scheduling important business meetings for the hot hours when your concentration is lower. It’s better to leave lighter tasks for the high heat periods.

Turn off all the unused lights and electrical devices in the office. They emit additional heat and warm up the room.

Implement work-rest schedules and wash your hands and face with cold water. That’s an easy and fast way to get a refreshment in a hot day. In addition, if you work in a multi-storey building, spend time on the lowest level, where it is cooler.

Cool off your body’s pulse points (neck, wrist, ankles, forehead, elbows, etc): This is one of the most effective ways to get a relief on a hot summer day. The areas, where we can feel our pulse are close to the surface of our skin and are the place it’s easiest to cool the blood. By wrapping a damp bandanna, a  water-soaked scarf or using ice cubes, wrapped in a cloth  on those pulse points our body’s temperature decreases.

Be careful with clothing. In order to help your body overcome a heat wave it’s good to dress in light-colored, natural fabrics, such as cotton or linen. Avoid polyester; it retains heat and sweat.

Drink lots of liquids. We need to replenish the water we lose to perspiration. Thus, it’s a good idea to have a bottle of mineral water or ice-tea on your desk and drink of it constantly. Put ice in your drinks if it’s available, because cold liquids help lower your body’s temperature.

Switch to a lighter diet. When you go out for lunch, think twice before ordering. Hot foods and high-calorie meals raise our body’s metabolism and its temperature and that’s the last thing we need during a heat wave. Skip the high-protein meals and replace them with cold soups, salads, fruits and vegetables.

If it’s cooled, use the subway in the hottest hours of the day instead of surface transport.

Limit outdoor activitieson hot, sunny days. In the city, sunlight and heat interact with harmful emissions, producing ozone. “Breathing too much of it impairs the functioning of the lungs, which poses a danger to those with emphysema and asthma” the BBC warns.

Take a vacation. According to Expedia, despite the fact Americans have much less holiday than Europeans, last year 33% of Americans didn’t use all their permitted vacation days. It has been proven that vacations are a great stress reliever and they help people come back to work refreshed and energized.

Some tips for employers

Be flexible with uniforms and dress code. Let your employees escape from the formal clothes for the hottest season of the year. Let them wear breathable clothes, made of lightweight materials that permit cooling.

Provide a cool rest area in the office with fresh drinks.

Flexible working time. Every managing director knows that productivity, not hours worked is the key to prosperity. Thus, it’s important to show consideration to workers’ needs. It’s a good idea to permit them come earlier in the morning; or start later with a subsequent end of working day.

Another good idea is to motivate employees by offering them an incentive of “free” summer hours - a liberal approach, which your team will appreciate.

Productiveness can be boosted with cross training. By learning new skills employees broaden their abilities and become more qualified. It helps them re-evaluate their own work and raises their awareness of what other departments do. Cross training can increase coverage and the ability  to cope with unexpected absences.

Finally, consider organizing a company barbecue or a team-building outside the city. This is a way to get people away from their tasks and help them recharge their batteries. Moreover, it will reinforce colleague relationships. If done in summer at the time of lowest productivity it will cost the least and also be the most pleasant for the staff.