If you spent any time outside last weekend, we don’t need to tell you that it’s getting warmer.
The Met Office has issued their first extreme heat warning, which will be in place until Thursday this week and affects all of south-west England as well as parts of southern and central England.
Following Freedom day on July 19, some will be returning back into the office in the midst of this warm weather… which can induce sweat and anxiety.
Don’t panic. if you are working in the office in the heat, we’ve got some tips to help you through.
Acas gives employers and employees free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice.
Here’s how they say we should handle office heat.
Stay hydrated
Make sure you drink water regularly throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. This will help stop you getting dehydrated.
If there is no drinking water in your office, this might be something you want to take up with your boss.
According to Acas: ‘Employers must provide staff with suitable drinking water in the workplace.’
Blinds down, air con on
Make sure any fans or air conditioners are switched on – and feel free to bring in your own mini one for your desk.
Another top tip is to make sure any blinds or curtains are down to block out sunlight.
If you are older, pregnant or on medication, fans or portable air cooling units might be especially important. Be sure to take regular rest breaks if you can.
If your office does not have a fan, Acas does suggest this is something you might want to raise with your boss, to see if anything can be done.
Make sure you ask your manager about air con, too – if your office has it, now is when it definitely need to be turned on.
Wear clothes that will help you keep cool
You might choose to wear looser clothes, so you feel less clammy and hot. Go for lightweight, breathable fabrics such as cotton and linen.
The jury is still out on whether wearing lighter clothes can help tackle the heat, but it’s something worth trying. This might not be the best week for an all-black outfit.
Be warned, though, that your boss isn’t legally obligated to relax the dress code due to the heat – although Acas does recommend employers consider tweaking the rules for hot weather, such as removing the need for full suits or ties.
Chat with your boss about what rules are in place and what is and isn’t acceptable – are shorts and sandals okay, or is this a no feet and legs to be seen kind of environment?
If you can’t change to a full-on hot weather wardrobe, focus on looser, lighter versions of your workwear.
Speak up
The most important thing is to make sure you’re not suffering in silence.
Gary Wedderburn, an adviser at Acas said: ‘If someone has concerns about the temperature when working they should consider raising these concerns with their employer informally at first to try and resolve them.’
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 says your place of work must be a reasonable temperature during working hours. Though there is no specific maximum temperature, the guidance says ‘the temperature inside the workplace should provide reasonable comfort without the need for special clothing’.
Don’t just sit there drenched in sweat and suffering. If it’s so warm in the workplace that you’re struggling to get things done, it’s high time you chat with your manager about what they can do.
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