Someone always thinks it’s either too hot or too cold in the office. We are such intrinsically and fascinatingly unique creatures that there is no way that something like the perfect temperature — which relies heavily on a person’s weight and age, as well as the season and humidity — could ever be applied universally.
Researchers at Cornell University performed a study that found a temperature of 77 degrees to be where workers are most productive. Meanwhile, the UK's Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers suggests an office temperature of between 70 and 75 degrees. On the other hand, Facebook famously keeps its office at a chilly 59 degrees. But the simple fact remains that many workers will find fault with their thermostats, regardless of the ideology behind the office temperature policy.
The data presented in the below infographic from Andrews Air Conditioning analyzes those who feel too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. Interestingly, men are less likely to report being too hot in the summer, while women are twice as likely to feel too cold in the winter. All this disagreement serves as an apt reminder to communicators that some outwardly uninvolved things — like deciding on a temperature or conveying a particular message — can be more subjective than they seem and may deserve nuances and accommodations that aren’t immediately apparent in order to hit the mark.
