Researchers say workplaces may be able to increase productivity by setting thermostat higher

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Scientists have raised the stakes in the battle of the sexes over office air conditioning by discovering women’s brains work better at higher temperatures.

Men, on the other hand, work better when the temperature is cooler, according to a study published in the journal PLOS One.

The study, conducted in Germany, tested the ability of 500 men and women to perform a series of tasks at a variety of temperatures.

The new cold war: why women are chilly at work Read more

At higher temperatures, women perform better on maths and verbal tasks while the reverse is true for men.

For women, the increase in performance while working in warmer temperatures was “significantly larger” than the decrease in male performance.

“Our findings suggest that gender mixed workplaces may be able to increase productivity by setting the thermostat higher than current standards,” the study found.

The findings are cold comfort to women who have to carry extra layers – jumpers, shawls, socks, even blankets – to keep warm in their offices.

And perhaps it explains why men wearing suits and ties are determined to plunge their offices into an ice age.