One-Third of Workers Say Office Temperature Affects Their Productivity, Finds New CareerBuilder Survey

• New CareerBuilder survey reveals that more than a quarter (27 percent) of workers describe the temperature at their work place as "too hot," while two-in-ten (19 percent) workers say it is "too cold."


• More than one-in-five (22 percent) workers said that a "too hot" work environment made it difficult to concentrate. Eleven percent of workers said the same about a "too cold" work place.


• Ten percent of workers report they have fought with a co-worker over the office temperature.

CHICAGO, December 15, 2009 - As winter sets in across the country and companies turn up the heat, they may need to readjust the thermostat to keep their workers productive. According to a new CareerBuilder survey, when asked if the temperature at work affected their ability to get work done, more than one-in-five (22 percent) workers said that a "too hot" work environment made it difficult to concentrate. Eleven percent of workers said the same about a "too cold" work place.

Overall, more than a quarter (27 percent) of workers describe the temperature at their work place as "too hot." On the flip side, 19 percent reported that the temperature was "too cold," while 54 percent said it was "just right."

Differing opinions on what is too hot or too cold for the office can sometimes cause conflict among cubicle mates. In fact, 10 percent of workers said they have fought with a co-worker over the office temperature.

Worker disputes over temperature aren’t the only thing affecting work place climate; the economy is also playing a part. In an effort to save money, nearly one-in-five (19 percent) workers feel that their company has turned down the office temperature this year.

"There are many factors that can affect work place productivity," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "Everything from morale, burnout, and as our survey finds, temperature, can have an impact on workers’ ability to get their work done. If temperature is a concern, workers and employers can easily work together to find common ground so productivity does not suffer."

Office feeling too hot or too cold? Haefner offers the following tips to maintain productivity regardless of temperature:

• Thermostat talk: Does one of your co-workers like the office steaming while you prefer a chillier work space? Instead of secretly changing the thermostat behind each other’s backs, send around an e-mail to your floor or directly discuss a compromise on temperature with your colleagues.
• Layer it on (or off): The best way to prepare for a fluctuating office climate is to layer your clothing. That way, you can remove or add items so that you are comfortable and able to do your best work.
• Make it work: If you know that a particular time of day or space in the office is too warm or too cold for you to work productively, be proactive by finding an alternative. Talk to your manager about coming in earlier, moving to a conference room for a portion of the day or telecommuting.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 4,285 U.S. workers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government); ages 18 and over between August 20 and September 9, 2009 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 4,285 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/-1.5 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®
CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset – their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 32 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world’s top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder’s proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

CareerBuilder Media Contact
For all media inquiries and interview requests, contact:

Jennifer Grasz
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(E) jennifer.grasz@careerbuilder.com