A few years ago, my company constructed a brand new office building in the heart of the city.
The building is extremely modern and beautiful.
I was very excited when we were finally allowed to move in. I then realized that parking in the downtown area is nearly impossible. I’m typically forced to pay to leave my car in a parking garage and then make the long walk to the office. Since the weather in my local area is often severe, I arrive at work either shivering or sweating profusely. I deal with icy sidewalks, high winds, humidity, snow and rain. Although I’m always anxious to get inside, the conditions in the building aren’t always ideal. The building is temperature controlled but the thermostat isn’t located on-site. The corporate headquarters determines the indoor temperature, and the settings are based on the calendar rather than the weather. At a specific date, we switch from heating to cooling and vice versa. It doesn’t matter if the weather is unseasonably chilly, the air conditioner kicks on and we all wear our coats while we work. In the middle of the fall season, the heating system takes over, even if the outside temperature is still hot and humid. We then strip down to T-shirts and plug in a bunch of box fans. None of the windows in the building open, so there is no way to get any relief. We’ve all complained about the issues with heating and cooling. The temperature definitely affects our productivity and morale, and I’m convinced corporate could save money on their energy bills with more conscientious management.