Tips for a healthy indoor climate in the office

There's been a lot of talk lately about indoor climate in the office, and for good reason. As a result of high energy prices, many workplaces have had to turn the heat down considerably. As a result, many employees have had to wear an extra thick sweater, long underwear or even bring a wool blanket for their legs. But what are the rules around indoor climate and temperature in the workplace? We'll take a closer look at that here.

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We spend a lot of our waking hours in our office space, which is why it's important that workplaces focus on creating a healthy indoor climate. Indoor climate is the environment you have inside and can therefore include everything from temperature and humidity to air quality. There are many things that can affect these, but the common factor is that if you don't have a healthy indoor climate in the office, it can lead to difficulty concentrating, headaches, fatigue and eye and respiratory irritation for employees. A healthy indoor climate is therefore about much more than complaining about high or low temperatures, it also has a direct impact on the working environment and employee well-being.

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Tips for creating a healthy indoor climate

If you want to ensure a healthy indoor climate, there are some simple things you can do. Here are four things you can do to prevent poor indoor air quality:

• Fresh air: Make sure you ventilate well a few times during the day

• Tidying up: Keep the office tidy and avoid too much dust

• Cleaning: Ensure regular cleaning a couple of times a week

• Green plants: They clean the air and improve humidity

With these few steps, you'll see an improvement in your indoor climate, and you can also benefit from keepingoffice design in mind . We've put together a number of tips for the modern business office design, including the implementation of green plants. If you want to learn more aboutworkplace temperature rules and how cold it can be in the workplace, read on below.

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Rules for temperature in the workplace

According to occupational health and safety legislation, there must be a suitable temperature for those in the office during all working hours. This temperature must also be evenly distributed throughout the office, meaning that there must be no places in the office that are warmer or colder to be in - unless of course you stick your head out of the window or sit on the radiator.

The temperature in the workplace will be different depending on the type of work. It's all about the working methods and physical exertion that the work requires. We'll get into the exact temperatures of cold and heat in more detail. However, we'd like to start with an old housewife's advice, which is to regularly air out the office. Most offices may have a ceiling vent, but it doesn't give the same result as opening a window for a few minutes. The brain simply needs fresh air.

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How cold can a workplace be?

How cold a workplace can be varies depending on the type of work you do, among other things. We have listed the different levels below:

• Sedentary and stationary work must not fall below 18 degrees Celsius

• Work with limited movement must not fall below 15 degrees

• Work with a lot of movement must not fall below 10 degrees

If the office is cold for a short period of time, it may be acceptable if there are extraordinary conditions, such as low outdoor temperature and/or strong wind gusts. However, employees should never sit in drafts in the office, as this can be harmful to their health in the long or short term. If employees have to wear a uniform for work, it's a good idea to offer your employees a warmer alternative, such as a warm sweater. a warm sweater.

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How warm can a workplace be?

There are also differences in how hot a workplace can be, again depending on the type of work. We have listed this below:

• Under normal climate and working conditions, the temperature should be kept between 20-25 degrees for sedentary and/or stationary work

• The temperature should not exceed 25 degrees for sedentary and/or stationary work

If the office is hot for a short period of time, this may be acceptable in exceptional circumstances, e.g. during a heat wave. However, employees should never sit in a hot environment for too long at a time, as it can be harmful to their health in the long or short term. If there are days when the heat wave is raging, it's a good idea to give your employees a longer break outdoors. If employees are required to wear a uniform for work, it's a good idea to offer a lighter alternative.

The above regarding dress code also speaks to our blog post onworkplace attire, where you can read more about rules and informal dress requirements.