Cold Facts/Heated Debate: Study Shows Link Between Office Temps, Worker Productivity

Underlying the calm appearance of many office settings, a war over the temperature in the space is often being waged, with men versus women. (homeyby lamey/Flickr)

For years, women have gathered in workplace bathrooms, around watercoolers or the coffee machine to share stories and bond about a common office complaint: the air conditioning is cranked up too high.

A study published several years ago confirmed what many women have always known: The temperature isn’t just too low — women’s productivity tends to decline when the workplace air becomes downright frigid.