With the coming of summer, temperatures in the workplace begin to rise, and employees feel the heat. Consequently, as temps go up, production seems to plummet. If you were to plot worker output against temperature, you'd see that during the first few weeks of hot weather, worker output decreases.
Employees working in hot environments experience an increase in perspiration and heart rate, and their blood circulation is closer to the skin's surface to help lower their core body temperature(1). To overcome the physiological changes in their employees, progressive companies are developing a heat healthy program that includes acclimating their workers to the higher temperatures, making them aware of working conditions and encouraging them to get into good physical condition. There are several means of improving conditions to help your workers overcome the stresses of heat.