What’s the one thing you hate most about where you work? According to a new survey, it’s not your boss, your paycheque or your sometimes aggravating co-workers. It’s the temperature.
The study by an American investment firm shows 47 per cent of employees are left in the cold or get hot under the collar about the rapidly shifting thermometer readings at their place of employment. If you’re unlucky enough to sit near an air conditioning duct, close to a door or not far from a heat vent as you perform your daily chores, you already know what that’s like.
One part of your office is a boiling kettle where people are sweating. Another may be a meat locker. And in some cases, one is just across the room from the other. It’s the most frequent complaint of those asked and it’s hardly a minor one. Many employees say the constant temperature switches are harming their health, and one in three admit they’ve even considered changing jobs because of it.
What else is bugging the 9-to-5ers that’s not directly task related? Many are upset with the amenities where they work, like bathrooms that aren’t properly cleaned or cared for, uncomfortable chairs or office furniture they’re forced to sit in all day, unexplained bad smells, leaky ceilings and even mice, rats or insects scurrying around the building.
A quarter of the respondents called the cleanliness in their complexes “appalling,” with 80 per cent agreeing that the poor conditions affect how they view their company. At least 69 per cent say it actually has an impact on their output.
“We’re entering a new era in commercial real estate, where premium services and amenities and employee-friendly facilities will differentiate office buildings and employers,” claims Philip Blumberg of Blumberg Capital Partners, a firm that specializes in fixing the problems. “The survey results illustrate just how much of an impact office environments and ergonomics have on attitudes and overall employee productivity.”
A surprising number also say they don’t necessarily feel safe at the office. Some 34 per cent worry about their belongings being stolen. And 78 per cent would welcome more security cameras or security guards keeping an eye on things.
Among the biggest changes on their wish lists: covered parking, subsidized cafeteria or restaurant services, fitness or workout centres and on-site day care.
The study concludes that taking care of business is no longer enough. In order to clean up in your profession, you may just need to clean up your surroundings, too.
Workers’ Main Concerns
Temperature extremes: 47%
Bland offices: 36%
Unclean/under-stocked restrooms: 31%
Outdated furniture and decor: 28%
Unexplained odours or bad air: 21%
Leaky ceilings and windows 21%
Theft/crime: 21%
Rodents/insects: 20%
Dumpy quarters: 7%
