Our director has sent round an email telling us to wear jumpers. Wibu to ask him to turn the heating up instead?

[DeepDeepThought]

Our departmental director came into the office for the first time in around half a year recently. He noticed that we don't always have all the windows wide open all the time (as per Covid guidance) and sent round an email about it. He says he understands that we might be cold (we are!) but we should all just expect the office to be colder now and bring in jumpers and open all the windows. AIBU to think that wearing a jumper is not the same as being in a warm room and that if he wants us to all sit in a place with wide open windows for eight hours a day throughout winter then he needs to be turning the heating up?

Are people not wearing jumpers? It's winter so a jumper is something I'd be wearing by default. I'm back WFH, but I have a jumper and a blanket on my lap. Occasionally a hot water bottle if I'm cold. Same at work. Having said that you shouldn't be in freezing temperatures all day long either, but it sounds from the OP like not everyone is in a jumper which just seems odd in winter, never mind Covid.

@Gwenhwyfar

"It fucks me right off when senior management wfh and expect others to come in and put themselves at greater risk."

The opposite is what gets me. Our management have deemed themselves essential so they can come in while the rest of us can't. I'm not the only one who can't cope with constant wfh.

It is just the same exceptionalism either way. Just the same as when they treat themselves to nice "workshops" and "training" at fancy hotels for days on end (and them write nice internal blogs about how useful it was) but still cut your training budgets to the bone. It is just shitty leadership.

Ask them to provide heated throws. They're life-changing!

@DeepDeepThought

Is that what you all do then? Wear coats at work?

Yes- in schools we have the windows open all the time. Can't control heating in individual rooms. The children are in coats and hats, and I wear my coat and hat when I stay after home time to work (cleaners come in after school so windows left open).

Yes, in the current situation they should have a very good reason why office work can't be done at home, first and foremost. Do they?

I'd be refusing to go in, I can't stand being cold. We only have the windows open a crack and that's bad enough. I have a portable radiator that goes if I'm too cold in the office.

Our heating goes off at midday so by 4pm it's very cold even if the windows are closed.

Sitting marking in a coat, hat and blanket in a freezing classroom after school and having the lights go out, plunging you into darkness (motion sensors) is a real treat.

@DeepDeepThought

Is that what you all do then? Wear coats at work?

Yes. Work in a school. It's imperative I open the window so 30 unmasked teenagers' exhalations are somewhat diluted. If it makes me, or them, or any one of their families even a little bit safer, I'm glad to do it.

I spent many years working in nursery and reception in pre covid times.
Doors open all year round.
I wore tights and thermal socks with thermal base layers.
I always, still, have a fleece and gilet to hand in the classroom.

Is there anyway you could get the business to invest in under desk infra red heaters? And maybe point out that the recommended minimum working temperatures in your particular industry/office environment haven’t changed post-covid ( but I’m happy to be corrected. )

Tights, thermals, boots, lots of layers, scarves. I haven't had to wear a coat yet but I would do if needed.
Also have some fingerless gloves on standby!

I remember when I first started working in an office in the 80s, in the winter I’d have a jumper over a blouse over a t shirt. Was never cold or too hot. That said these days offices are full of machinery - computers, printers, photocopiers, server cabinets - and my last one was too hot to wear a jumper even in the depth of winter.

I teach so windows open a lot. It's cold.

I wear thermal vest tops and fleece lined tights. Then layers. I have a scarf and fingerless gloves. I try to avoid wearing my coat as it's hard to teach in.

We do have heating on but, although the windows are tiny, they definitely send a lot of cold air in and let all the heat out.

I've spent lots in thermal base layers and additional cardigans etc.

School children and staff all over the country have to manage with this every day. If they can suck it up and I recon you can. My kids aren't allowed to wear their coats in lessons either.

I have arthritis and the cold makes my joints very painful.
As well as all the layers I'm also taking much more extra pain med every day.

They don’t need to be wide open all the time. Can you have them slightly open and the jumpers and heating on?

@noblegiraffe

Our heating goes off at midday so by 4pm it's very cold even if the windows are closed.

Sitting marking in a coat, hat and blanket in a freezing classroom after school and having the lights go out, plunging you into darkness (motion sensors) is a real treat.

My lights sometimes go off in the lesson if they're all sitting still working. That's fun.

@noblegiraffe

Our heating goes off at midday so by 4pm it's very cold even if the windows are closed.

Sitting marking in a coat, hat and blanket in a freezing classroom after school and having the lights go out, plunging you into darkness (motion sensors) is a real treat.

So why put up with it? The legal minimum temperature is 16c.

Yes, I wear my coat whilst I'm working. If cold enough (only a few days so far this year, but will be colder in Jan/Feb) I wear full outside warm gear, so hat, scarf, gloves etc. Thermals too. I'm a teacher.

I WFH, I wear layers so I’m not spending a fortune on my gas bill. M&S do some nice long sleeve thermals. Also gilets are a good alternative to a coat.

If you really can’t work from home, my top tip is to bring in a hot water bottle or two!

Yes, last Jan/Feb was absolutely freeeeeeeezing and miserable in school. The only upside of the school closure to some was that we only had to be freezing during the periods supervising KW children but when live teaching on Teams, we could close windows as alone in classrooms!

@Gretaburley because we've no choice. The heating is on, it's still cold. The only ventilation we have are windows, so they're all open. What do you think we should do, walk out? So closing schools? What do you think our employers could do? Even if we walked out, or went on strike, what would that achieve? Our employers can't actually do anything other than send everyone home, and no-one wants that.

Your bigger issue is why your Director is such a hypocrite WFH while you have to be in the office

@tiredanddangerous why aren't they allowed to wear coats, that's ridiculous! At my secondary the uniform policy has pretty much gone out the window. They can wear pretty much whatever they need to wear, so long tops under shirts, extra jumpers, coats etc. are all fine. How do they stay warm?!