Workplace aircon battle: Why the Cold War is blowing up your office

Office airconditioning battles are serious in Sydney, with thermostat control more crucial than parking spots and staff clashes over temperatures echoing comedy workplace hit shows.

Sam Aloysius at her desk in her Sydney CBD office. Sam is a PR manager who works in a very cold office. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Fighting over the airconditioning temperature has been a staple of TV workplace comedies for years but, in offices across Sydney, it’s no laughing matter.

Whether it’s men vs women, women vs women or men vs men, control of the office thermostat can be more important than a parking spot near the exit.

And pity the poor HR department who have to sort out staff giving each other the cold shoulder or getting very hot under the collar.

The US version of The Office had a running gag where stuffy Oscar liked it “at 66F” (18C) while Kevin kept turning it up to 69F (20.5C).

New Zealand sketch troupe Viva La Dirt League topped that with a YouTube classic where a man and woman duel over the aircon, with the bloke ending up in his undies because “it’s so hot” and the woman in beanie and puffer jacket because “it’s freezing”.

Office workers fighting over the office air conditioning New Zealand in a video from sketch troupe Viva La Dirt League. Picture: Youtube

Sounds funny. But there are office workers who aren’t smiling about it.

A Reddit thread revealed some fascinating stories about office aircon wars.

“I work in a public building and it’s quite common to have both the heating and the aircon running at full blast with the windows open, and at various desks you’ll either see people in their coats or people using a variety of fans. Luckily it’s all paid for by your taxes,” one said.

“Every single day in my office consists of the aircon being turned on, everyone complaining they’re too cold, the aircon being turned off, people being too warm, and then just a cycle of that all day,” another wrote.

“In a heatwave we had all the women (wearing dresses with no shoulders, open shoes etc) going insane that the aircon was like the Arctic. All the men had to wear shirts, trousers and proper shoes. They melted,” warned one bloke, who wisely stayed anonymous.

Public relations professional Samantha Aloysius said her office conditions are often chilly and subject to “erratic” temperatures.

Co-Founder of Bright Orange Door Sarah Cassim is passionate about keeping her office cool. Picture: Rohan Kelly

“In the office, we’ve always talked about how we’ll have some of us that are like: ‘It’s really warm, it’s fine,’ and then some of us feel like we’re freezing,” she said.

It’s a sentiment shared by Sarah Cassim, a marketing professional, who said the topic has “definitely been a conversation in the office”.

Ms Cassim sets her air conditioner to 18 degrees and is often greeted by shouts of surprise whenever anyone walks into her work space.

“I think when you’re in an office and it’s too cozy, focus goes down, and I start getting too comfortable,” she said.

“I find having the colder temperature sort of keeps me on my A-game, and think with a little bit more clarity than, say, someone who’s toasty warm.”

This variance in how people experience different temperatures means a standard temperature isn’t the solution to creating the ideal office conditions for everyone, according to UTS associate professor Leena Thomas.

“Our research found it is the discomfort and the lack of control [over the temperature] that affects people’s perceived productivity,” she said.

A renewed approach to indoor temperature “zoning” design could be the solution, she said.

Or maybe film the ongoping dramas, put it on YouTube and use the profits to buy yourself a desk fan.

Originally published as Workplace aircon battle: Why the Cold War is blowing up your office