Set the office temperature to 72 °F at [About the author]

The office thermostat at [Company] is set to 68 °F year round, leaving many in the office uncomfortable throughout the workday. It is common to see coworkers at their desks with blankets on their laps or see people take meetings with their outdoor jackets on. Feeling uncomfortable in the workplace is demoralizing on a day to day basis and, in the long run, contributes to a perception that women employees are not valued as much as male employees here.

It is well-known that office temperature settings are biased towards men’s body temperatures, which run cooler than women’s bodies. Traditionally, office temperatures have been optimized for a 40-year-old man weighing about 154 pounds. This is not representative of our workforce at [Company] . This is an outdated standard that is scientifically proven to reduce women’s focus and productivity. Furthermore, the requirement to keep our office at 68 °F in the warmer months consumes unnecessary energy.

We are requesting:

• The temperature be raised from 68 °F to 72 °F during working hours.
• If the temperature can’t be raised by four degrees to accommodate a majority of employees, we’re asking for individual space heaters for any employee who requests one.
• The temperature setting be reviewed in 6 weeks with employees to determine if more changes are needed.
• Employees who are still uncomfortable with the temperature are allowed to work remotely (in consultation with their manager).
• We receive a response from management with a plan for addressing our requests within five business days.