10 ways to keep your office warm in the winter

10 ways to keep your office warm in the winter

In the winter months it can be difficult to keep your office space warm and motivate your employees during the shorter days of sunlight. It has been well researched that a lack of natural heat and vitamin D in the winter months can make you feel SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). However, we have pulled together our top tips to make sure you are efficiently heating your office and paying attention to your employee’s well-being during these winter months. We recommend sharing this information around the office so everyone can benefit from the tips.

1. Morning routine

Put your heaters on in the morning to take the chill off your office furniture from the night before. During the middle of the day, you can turn the heating off as this will be the most energy-efficient way to heat your office space. When you leave the radiators on all day you will be causing your office and employees to overheat which can lead to them becoming lethargic. 

Set the day up strong and go for a morning walk with your colleagues and expose yourself to the morning sunlight. This will help align your circadian rhythm and help boost your mood, sleep cycle and eat at the correct times. 

2. Double-glazing 

Double glazing windows are more energy efficient than single glazing and will save you costs on your heating bill. 18% of heat loss occurs through your windows and you are likely losing heat from your windows twice as fast as single glazing! We install trickle vents to our double-glazing windows to prevent condensation build-up and stop any water damage to your internal walls. We could help you save up to £170 per year in heating bills, as when you switch to double glazing windows heat isn’t being transferred outside. This excellent insulation comes with a 12-month warranty to protect your investments with us, as customer satisfaction is one of our main priorities.

3. Dress for the weather

Make sure you are putting warm clothes on for your commute to work and then removing layers once you’re sitting at your desk. Your natural body temperature will keep you heated and help you acclimatise to the environment around you. It works in reverse so as you go outside you should put your layers back on to acclimatise to the outside temperature, this is a healthy and safe way to regulate your body temperature during the winter months and avoid getting a cold.  

4. Regular movement

This does not have to be specifically sport-related but general movement is necessary if you work a sedentary job. Try and get away from your desk as this will keep the blood circulating around your body, this fresh blood will keep you warmer, avoid injury and help improve your well-being.

This should be done all year round as your muscles, tendons and ligaments can all get sore from a sedentary job. Much like if you were doing loads of exercise, your body will break down over time from sitting too much. You are likely to suffer from injuries, pains and aches more than people who move often.

5. Space heaters and blankets

Simple yet effective when it comes to heating your office space as you can keep a specific area well heated. Some areas of the office might be prone to getting colder than others and this is perfectly normal for many reasons, space heaters help avoid this problem. 

Equally, some employees could be suffering from the cold more than others and that is where blankets come in to help regulate their body temperature without impacting the rest of the office. The heat and the cold are likely affecting your productivity and it is recommended to keep your office between 21 – 23 degrees, then ask employees to layer up if they want to be warmer or colder for their own body temperature regulation.

6. Single Glazing 

We recommend that you utilise a single-glazing partition inside your office space to help trap heat in for longer. When you are heating a large room it will take more energy to heat and it can be hard to figure out where the draughts are coming in. However, when you have a single glazing partition it will be sealed from ceiling-to-floor and take less energy to heat. They will help create natural heating from sunlight and these seamless designs are a great addition to your office if you already have double glazing in place, and act as another method to heat your office efficiently.

Doors are notorious for leaking hot air and causing a draught, which leads to poor energy efficiency ratings. Find the draughts and plug them with door stoppers to make sure you are being as efficient as possible with your heating. This is a cost-effective way to keep hot air in for longer periods. However, it is important to get the correct ventilation into your office too and to keep fresh air circulating. Single glazing partitions can be a long term solution to draughts and reducing your heating bills.

7. Hydration and food

Your body’s digestive system will heat your internal temperature and soup can naturally burn energy that will keep you warmer for longer, even though you are sitting down and not moving. The main reason that you will get a cold is because your core temperature is dropping and the best way to keep your core temperature correct is by eating hot food. The food that we recommend is soup as this is simple at heating and regulating body temperature.

Your hydration levels during winter are going to suffer due to the artificial heating and will cause your skin to dry out. Water isn’t enough and can actually have an adverse effect on your body and cause you to become dehydrated. Include electrolytes, salt and minerals into your water, as you lose these through sweating and being exposed to artificial heating at a faster rate than in summer.

8. Hot drinks

This coincides with tip 5, try and seek warm drinks over cold drinks to regulate your body’s core temperature and keep your hands warm in a sedentary job. A hot drink will help keep fresh blood circulating around your hands and arms avoiding potential injury from a sedentary job. 

9. Exercise 

In conjunction with tip 3, we are looking at more intense exercise than your regular movement throughout the day. Consider working out in the morning before you come to work as you’ll have fresh blood moving around your body and brain. This will set you up mentally and physically as your body and brain will be filled with endorphins, keeping you motivated and ready for the day ahead.

10. Regular breaks

This goes without saying during the entire year, keep your breaks short but often to get the most out of your day and remain focused on the task at hand. We recommend a 5-minute break every hour and encourage you to leave your desk where possible. Whether that’s to make a cup of tea, chat with colleagues or explore the office building. Getting away from your desk can get the blood moving again (tip 3) and keep your mind fresh for long periods. 

As we enter the winter months ahead, many of these tips might have been forgotten during summer and this blog post can help refresh your memory on how to keep your office space well-heated and employees’ well-being nurtured. We recommend following these tips to help you get the most out of winter this year and next.