Hot sunny weather is proven to impact productivity and sickness leave.
Although we do not regularly experience extreme temperatures in the UK, this past week has shown us it is essential to keep your team safe, happy and engaged when the temperatures do rise.
In the UK there is no maximum temperature that a workplace is allowed to be, however advice from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) states “during working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings should be reasonable”.
Top tips to keep your team safe, happy and engaged when the temperatures rise:
1. Keep your cool- whilst you’re not legally obliged to provide air con you are advised to use curtains and blinds to block out the sun, use fans and open doors and windows (where aircon is not in use).
2. Lighten up- relax the dress code a little to make employees more comfortable. This could be as simple as no ties or suits or allowing short sleeved shirts. Comfort is key a to a productive work force.
3. Hydrate- make sure plenty of water is made available and offered at regular intervals to employees throughout the day.
4. Think of the vulnerable- the heat can make workers feel tired and sometimes faint particularly those who are older, pregnant or on medication. These workers should be offered fans and given frequent rest breaks. Hay Fever sufferers may need to be encouraged to seek medical advice or in severe cases take sickness leave.
5. Stay safe- don’t sacrifice Health & Safety. Whilst allowing flip flops to be worn and removing eye protection may be appealing tweaks to the norm remember these changes can compromise the safety of your workers.
6. Treat the team- why not use the warm weather as an excuse to treat your team to a free cold drink, ice lolly or strawberries and ice cream? Employee rewards and small gestures can go a long way to improving performance and motivating employees.
7. Plan for an increase in holiday requests and sickness leave- it’s proven that hot weather increases both requests for holiday and sickness leave. Be prepared and make sure you reinforce staff sickness and absence policies and last-minute holiday requests don’t leave you understaffed.
Need help or advice with:
· Health and Safety issues?
· Sickness and absence policies?
· Managing the HR admin for your work force?
We have a team of HR experts ready to help you: 01926 355 560
