What would you say is a reasonable amount of clothing to be expected to wear to work? - heating wars

[Springersrock]

I am completely fed up with freezing my arse off all day.

I work in accounts so most of my day is sat at a desk. The building is one of those tin shed type industrial units with crap insulation.

We have proper central heating in the offices which is really good when it is on, but as soon as it goes off, the temperature drops really quickly.

My boss will only put the heating on for an hour first thing when we come in, an hour at lunchtime and sometimes an hour about 4ish - his argument is that we should wear more layers/put another jumper on.

This week it’s been between -1 and 1 degree here.

Today I’m wearing a vest top, a thermal base layer, a thinnish cashmere jumper, a big chunky jumper, a body warmer, thermal base layer leggings, jeans, 2 pairs of thermal socks, a big scarf, fingerless gloves, my coat and Ugg’s.

It’s uncomfortable and IMO, a bloody ridiculous amount of clothing to have to wear to work every bloody day.

I do have a small fan heater under my desk but he constantly complains that I’ve got it on and it barely makes a difference anyway.

So, I’ve threatened to go on strike. He either puts the heating on properly - set it to a reasonable temperature and stays on instead of this stupid 1 hour here and there, or I go home.

what temperature is your workplace?
Health and safety regulations state that it should be a "reasonable" temperature and suggest a minimum of 16 for offices. You could challenge him on that point.

www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/law.htm#:~:text=Minimum%20workplace%20temperature,at%20least%2013%20degrees%20Celsius.

I feel for you because it sounds like you are freezing, but at the same time if I saw you wearing all that I'd think you were attention seeking. How cold is it actually in the office ? Have you measured the temperature inside?

It’s miserable being cold at work, you have my sympathies op.
I work in a school. As per the Covid regulations we have to have the windows open at all times to allow the air to circulate. Last week was particularly bad with the snow and minus temperatures.
I had thermal base layers under my regular clothes, two pairs of socks, extra thick jumper, scarf and gloves - and was still bloody freezing.
The poor kids were frozen all day too. Not a conducive learning or working environment.

You need to check the temp.

Also is there a reason why you are in the office at all? Current guidance is to work from home unless not possible?

Tight bastard. I hate being cold and could not work in those conditions. Can you buy a radiator and put it under your desk? Better than a fan heater.

@Redtartanshoes

You need to check the temp.

Also is there a reason why you are in the office at all? Current guidance is to work from home unless not possible?

I'm in accounts too and working from the office as ar most of the other companies I deal with. Workinf from home is just not efficient when you have different people needing access to the same files etc.

But that's beside the point.

I'd get a thermomenter and if the temperature is below 16 definately protest.

What about an oil filled radiator or work from home?
I can’t work in an overheated office but that sounds unbearable.

Look for another job. I couldn't work for an arse like that

In fact, I'd not be happy below 18 really.

Sounds positively Victorian. Get a thermometer and show them the HSE guidance. Are there other people working in there too, can you all band together with this entirely reasonable request for a suitable working temperature?

The problem is the minimum temperature guidelines are actually really cold if you have a sit down job. Its till worth checking if its below 16 degrees though.

If it turns out it is 16 degrees or just over, then I would make a point of going for a brisk walk at regular intervals to warm yourself up.

The other thing might be trying to show that heating on/off/on/off might use more energy than just having a smaller amount of consistent heating? If his issue is finances.

I’m in the office as most of my job needs me to be here. I could work from home but I’d be backwards and forwards picking stuff up and dropping it off. I have my own office so I’m on my own all day.

When the heating is on it’s fine, but it’s an old building, one of those metal framed units with no insulation so as soon as it goes off, the temperature drops really quickly. Earlier this week, when the heating was off it wasn’t much warmer inside than outside.

Not really sure how it’s attention seeking tbh , there’s no one else in my office, and other than the coat, scarf and gloves, you can’t actually see any of the rest of it

I think he genuinely doesn’t feel the cold, although even he’s been wearing a coat all day this week.

Sorry, crossed loads of posts

There are others here, we’ve all moaned but all get the same response.

We’ve talked to him about minimum temperatures and the cost of having the heating on a steady temp rather than on/off/on/off but it falls of deaf ears.

He doesn’t think the temperature is below the minimum - I’ll have to get a thermometer, but it’s definitely way below 16, but tbh, even 16 is cold when you’re sat at a desk all day

Some people don't feel the cold. We went to a museum once where you stood in front of a mirror that showed your body temperature - DH has lots of red patches, I had a tiny but of red at the top of my boots and lots of blue bits, I felt vindicated - look, I am cold, I'm not making it up!

Your boss is an arse. My top tip for keeping warm when sat still is to use a hot water bottle.

I could work from home but I'd be backwards and forwards...

So be it. I've got zero patience with this sort of miserly, controlling Bellshill.

Bellshill? Bullshit!

I'm a teacher and, at the moment, I'm wearing a lot of layers. All of the windows and doors are open when the key worker children are in the classroom.

Merino wool pants, socks and vest. Merino wool long sleeve top and thermal leggings. Thick woollen socks. Merino wool fleece-style top and normal trousers. Sorrel Joan of Ark boots. Merino wool hat and fingerless gloves. Merino wool buff as face mask.

but at the same time if I saw you wearing all that I'd think you were attention seeking

How is it attention seeking to not want to freeze your arse off at work? This place has the strangest comments sometimes.

Having the heating on in such an inefficient building probably costs him a fortune. Ask him to buy you a heated throw. They cost about £45 and pennies to warm you for the day. I have mine on now.

That sounds miserable OP definitely get a thermometer and check although you are right that 16 feels bloody cold when sitting all day. I'm not in the UK and central heating isn't a thing here even though the temperature is often around 12-15 degrees and I'm still freezing in the office. Sadly there isn't much else you can do other than layers, perhaps hand warmers in your pockets and a brisk walk for 10 minutes every hour or so. If he complains your away from the desk tell him its deal with it or put the heating on

Make a point of doing extra tea rounds to keep warm. You won't be needing one, Mr boss, as your toasty. Make sure Everyone mentions the cold. - contractors, visitors, anyone popping in (do people visit workplaces these days? I've been WFH since march, so I'm not sure).

I’m trying to avoid drinking tea otherwise I end up in the loo every 5 minutes and there’s nothing worse than taking all those layers off in a freezing cold toilet. It’s exhausting 😂

People do vary how they feel the cold. Currently working in the same room I have 2 dc.
One has 4-5 layers on including a jumper, fleece lined jacket, plus has a blanket wrapped round them and had a hot water bottle (or maybe two) snuggled on their lap. They're still saying they're cold.
The other is working wearing shorts and nothing else, and can't understand why the other is complaining.

Attending seeking lol as if anyone would wear that many clothes and get all sweaty and uncomfortable for what? Someone rolling their eyes? The mim temp exists for a reason. You have an office job not working in an IKEA warehouse where you are moving around all day.

I had a sit down job at my last place. Very cold factory floor, no heating big barn like doors opening all the time right by where we were sitting and the temp one day went down to 4 degrees . Our managers just said nothing they could do just go and get hit drinks when we wanted and wrap up warm. I'd have gone nuts if anyone had told me I was an attention seeker for having a lot of layers on and a wooly hat to keep warm!

Now thats cold