How Can HVAC Maintenance Boost Workplace Productivity

As managers, it is important to ensure the efficiency of workers at the office.  There are several factors that can affect their ability to be effective at work. One common thing is physical discomfort that can be caused by the rising temperatures during summer. And in tropical countries like the UAE employee productivity can drop significantly with the hot summers. 

The good news is, there is a way around this with the use of air conditioning! With a properly maintained HVAC system by a reputable Air Conditioning Service in Dubai and the right thermostat settings, you’re well on your way to provide a comfortable working atmosphere for your employees and make them more productive.  

It is a daily challenge to keep workers motivated, and stressful working conditions just intensifies the task.  Your office HVAC system might be the last thing on your mind when you’re thinking about ways to increase employee productivity, but it’s time for you to take it into consideration.

Effective and maximized use of the HVAC system in your office is essential to maintaining office productivity and reducing discomfort among your employees. How do you connect these two elements? Read on for more information.

The Relationship Between Temperature And Productivity In The Workplace

If employees feel too hot or too cold, productivity decreases greatly because they are uncomfortable and will tend to make more mistakes. According to studies, temperatures at 71.6 degrees F can effectively aid the highest levels of productivity. A Cornell University study also finds that you might be spending 10 percent more in labor costs when the office temperature is too warm.

Research published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information indicates that boosting indoor air quality (of which temperature is an important component) will result in a 6 to 9% growth in performance at work and efficiency.

Finding the Right Office Air Temperature

In dealing with human comfort, contextual factors play a role. A temperature that feels right to someone else may feel too hot or cold to another. The goal, therefore, is to maintain an indoor air quality that is as comfortable as possible for as many individuals.

Research organizations such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health have been researching how indoor temperature influences workplace performance.

The results vary depending on the study, but human productivity appears to increase within the 21° C to 25° C (70 ° F to 77 ° F) temperature range.

Low thermostat settings such as 17 ° C (62 ° F) and also high settings such as 30 ° C (86 ° F) have been found to have an adverse effect on employees’ productivity. In these situations, productivity losses of 5% to 7% were reported.

In particular, low temperatures usually affect women more, while men are more sensitive to high temperatures.

Based on these findings, an HVAC system that keeps the temperature within the optimum range is a profitable investment. To accomplish this, it is important to measure correctly the heating and cooling loads and determine the corresponding equipment with the appropriate power. Take into account also that there are many possible configurations for HVAC systems, and the design must be appropriate to the conditions found in the building.

While it is doable to be efficient in cold or hot office spaces, more effort is needed in doing so. If the same task is done with temperatures that are hot and unpleasant, it can be viewed as more challenging in the second case, thus creating more mental fatigue.

The Benefits of a Well-Maintained HVAC System in the Workplace

A comfortable office temperature will make a significant contribution to your company’s success. If your office or shop in Dubai does not have an ideal temperature and air quality, you are likely to see a rise in sick days and therefore a reduction in productivity. Choosing the right HVAC system and arranging regular maintenance can go a long way to keeping your team comfortable, healthy and efficient. Check out how the right HVAC temperature can affect productivity in the workplace:

Comfortable working environment

A comfortable working condition will significantly improve the productivity of employees. Employees can feel tired, exhausted, lazy, and cranky if the office is too hot. If the office is too cold, workers may feel nauseous, weak, stiff, or lethargic because of decreased blood circulation. In both cases, concentrating and focusing on their jobs will make it harder for them.

If the temperature is cool when it’s hot, or warm when it’s cold, and workers are satisfied, performance can be increased significantly. So make sure you set the correct temperature and humidity level for your air conditioning system depending on the weather or season.

Prevents Health Problems

Getting the appropriate humidity and temperature levels in the office can help prevent health problems from happening, decrease the number of sick days employees have taken, and thus increase the productivity of the office. For example, if the workplace is too cold, the workers may end up developing the “sick building syndrome,” where the low temperature can cause migraines, dry skin, and irk the respiratory system.

It has also been suggested that sick building syndrome could be caused by inadequate ventilation, deteriorating fiberglass duct liners, chemical contaminants from indoor or outdoor sources, and biological contaminants, air recycled using fan coils, traffic noise, poor lighting, and buildings located in a polluted urban area. A well-maintained HVAC system can mitigate the risks of sick building syndrome.

On the other hand, high temperatures can cause the workers to become dehydrated due to excessive sweating, and exceptionally high temperatures can even result in a heat stroke or intense heat rash.

Noise Distractions

Unwelcome noise is often a distraction in the office. You can inadvertently add to a productivity issue if you disregard regular maintenance on your commercial HVAC system. The loud blowing sounds and a high pitched belt are distractions you can avoid with a regular AC conditioning service in Dubai.

Banging and screeching sounds from your HVAC system will make your employees’ concentration on their jobs difficult or impossible, leading to lower levels of productivity. Scratching noises can also be an indicator of a certain part being damaged in your system. A broken part can cause further damage to your equipment as well as being a source of disruption.

Keep Employees Focused

Hot temperatures make people physically and mentally tired and feel sluggish. As a result, they have trouble focusing on the task at hand, failing to solve basic issues and making errors. A well-maintained air conditioning unit in the workplace will improve the employees’ skills and ability to move, focus, and actually work.

Equipment runs better

It is possible that your workplace has various technical equipment critical to your business operation. All of these computers, routers, machines need to be in perfect working order for the company to prosper. Unusually hot temperatures can cause equipment such as the ones mentioned to constantly heat up, disrupt workflow and decrease efficiency as workers become more irritated by faulty and erratic technology.

Office equipment can be temperamental at best moments, so maintaining the temperature around your equipment at an appropriate temperature is crucial to keep it working at optimal levels. Productivity will see a significant boost if your workers have consistent, uninterrupted access to the technological resources that are essential to their work.

Better for the customers

If you own a company or store where you have clients coming into the office, maintaining a comfortable environment is of particular importance. There’s nothing worse than sticky, sweaty and irritable customers. You also don’t want to leave your first-time customers or clients with a bad impression.

Save Time

Time wasted is one of the main causes of lost productivity among employees. When an office is hot, workers spend more time picking up water and controlling fans to stay cool and less time doing work. You will buy back hours of productive work from your workers by installing a well-functioning HVAC system in your office.

Decrease Stress Levels

Give the workers something to rely on in a fast-paced, ever-changing work environment to keep them both emotionally and physically cool Rather than encouraging your office temperature (and your staff’s moods) to fluctuate with the hot weather, mount an air conditioning unit that keeps the room consistently cozy. This can have a soothing effect on the office overall.

Boost Morale

Have you ever considered that for your workers, the office is their haven? Air conditioning, as we described before, allows for comfortable spaces. When employees enjoy being in the workplace, their jobs can feel lighter and it’ll be easier for them to perform tasks.

Final Thoughts

Air conditioning is an easy-to-install, easy-to-manage solution to increase productivity in your workplace. In order to keep your employees satisfied, comfy and efficient, it is important to choose the best commercial air conditioning service in Dubai.

You need to keep your workers healthy and happy with an optimal and well-maintained HVAC system to maintain a high level of productivity in your workplace. Do not hesitate to contact us at Adams Care if you want to install a new HVAC unit or sign up for a routine maintenance plan