Aaaah, summer and air conditioning . . .

mjindra · July 2003

Nothing to do with HR, really, but another irony in our lives . . .

Every morning when I choose my clothes for the day, I'm looking for my biggest sweaters, because of the air conditioning in the office. Something is wrong with that picture . . .

We have a small office in an old building. The thermostat is far from our room, and it is set off by the warm air in the hallway! The guy who is in the office with me is wearing short sleeves and thinks it's pleasant in here. He's also got high blood pressure, is always bright red and always sweating. :-)

I've resorted to warming my hands between new copies as they come out of my printer. Anybody else in the same boat?

dmd · July 2003

Perhaps a space heater for your desk and a turbo fan for your office mate?

AprilShowers · July 2003

agree... always too cold

clarkbar · July 2003

Same here! The men in my office are all very overweight and sit at their desks sweating so of course they turn the AC way down. I have a space heater which I run constantly. I also have to dress like it's the middle of winter and can't wear any lightweight clothing to work. We ladies are tired of it and are constantly battling over the thermostat. I just want to tell the guys to lose some weight and maybe they wouldn't be so hot (they wish!) all the time! I dread summer because of this.

mjindra · July 2003

I'm tired of dressing like an eskimo and sweltering on my way to and from work.

(I get home at the end of the day and my husband has the central air cranked up. He works in a foundry where he's hot all day long and he wants to be cool at home. I can't win!) :-)

Human Resources Manager · July 2003

My husband also works a hot job, installing granite, but I have the opposite problem. Because he doesn't work in air conditioning, he doesn't want it on in the house either. So I go from frigid, meat-locker like office to steamy, sweltering house. I can't wait for fall!

RussJ · July 2003

>Same here! The men in my office are all very overweight and sit at
>their desks sweating so of course they turn the AC way down. I have a
>space heater which I run constantly. I also have to dress like it's
>the middle of winter and can't wear any lightweight clothing to work.
>We ladies are tired of it and are constantly battling over the
>thermostat. I just want to tell the guys to lose some weight and
>maybe they wouldn't be so hot (they wish!) all the time! I dread
>summer because of this.

Ah, the battle of the sexes. My assistant controls the thermostat and, well she is entering that phase of life that we men - thankfully - do not have to go through. I freeze to death and I am a tad overweight. My solution? Her needs are greater than mine. I can wear a sweater. By the way, I do sympathize for your plight; the men ought to go on a diet.

Whatever · July 2003

As one who hates cold I look forward to heat and humidity of summer. However, I can't go anywhere without a sweater. Work, restaurants, theaters, subways, stores all seem to set the thermostat too low. Then I go outside and feel the heat much more than before I was exposed to the air conditioning. Heck - menopause was easier.

Leslie · July 2003

Working in a casino, of course the customers have to be comfortable - so we need to freeze! What a shocker to walk out of what feels like 60 degrees into 118!

NicoleLee · July 2003

At my job now, I can control the air in my office. Some days I crank the AC, some days I get a little too chilly. Just depends on my mood! BUT, at my last job, I worked in a warehouse (in the middle of the warehouse none the less) which was not air-conditioned. My office, seriously, was an old storage closet that they so nicely cleared out for me. No windows, vents, AIR! In the summer, it was about 200 degrees, and in the winter, I swear it was about -50!! There was no way to win there! I almost cried the day I got promoted and got a real office with air!

jmpmo · July 2003

My office is situated in a funny part of the building. It gets very hot in here in the afternoon, so consequently I have to be freezing in the morning with the air on high, just to make it remotely comfortable in the afternoon. I keep a sweater on the back of my chair all year round.

Rockie · July 2003

I am underweight and no entering that phase of life yet, but I am always hot. In fact, it doesn't matter what the temperature, I keep a small fan running in my office all the time just to keep air circulating. I am definitely in the minority among females I have found.

The other women in the office persist in wearing as little clothing as possible, crank up the heat to 80 degrees and then scream that they are freezing if we turn it down to a managable 70 degrees. Our boss threatened to shoot the next person who pushed the thermostat up to 80 degrees in the summer time. He advised the near nudists to either put on sleeves or make sure they kept a sweater at their work station.

ray a · July 2003

I'm glad to hear other people have the same problem. First off I resent that remark about overwieght men. Or, is that resemble? x;-)

The thermostat for the HR suite is down the hall in purchasing where there are a group of people in a smaller room. We have 5 rooms in HR for 2 of us. So, it tends to be a different temp. in purchasing than in HR. It is hot in the winter and we feel like wearing short sleeves and cold in the summer and want to wear sweaters. But, I took control of the thermostat and threatened to break the fingers of anyone who touches it.

Whatever · July 2003

>I'm glad to hear other people have the same problem. First off I
>resent that remark about overwieght men. Or, is that resemble? x;-)

If another a thread can discuss female butts, then this can discuss overweight men.

Ruby Tuesday · July 2003

My co-worker and I are always fighting over the thermostat. He wants it as low as possible and believes 68 degrees is perfect whereas I think 75 degrees is perfect. Most days we compromise but I always keep a sweater nearby. He is out of the office today so guess where the thermostat is set..... x:D

TALLEY · July 2003

I hardly ever complain of being cold. In past years, the a/c didn't efficiently cool my office (it's over a laundry room and indoor/outdoor pool - talk about humidity). For some reason, this summer, the a/c is WORKING! I mean, it's really, really working. The last few days (97 - 100 degrees outside)I've actually been relieved to go to warmer areas of the building. I will never say anything about being cold, however, because of how much I complained in the past years and because the maintenance guys access some of the rooftop units through a door in my office. Those poor guys are just drenched with sweat when they come in. They recoup by soaking up the cool air in my office. If I dare complain, when my body is found, it will be determined justifiable homicide!

moneyman · July 2003

I am at the end of the row of offices and am always the hot one. NO matter that we have had the air vents wide open on my side, and closed more and more as they go down the line, I always get the short end of it. And, my director has declared that no one touch the thermostat (to save electricity cost) once it is set. So, five of us on this one register can never seem to get comfortable. But, he is on the other side of the building, by himself, with his own register, and wouldn't you know, his register is set lower than ours, hmmm ...

psrcello · July 2003

The HR department here is in a windowless, underground corner of the plant. Since we close and lock our doors at night, it's generally about 66 degrees when we arrive in the morning - perfect for me! My two associates, however, like things a little cozier, and run a space heater year round in their office next door.

We recently had to share temporary quarters for three weeks during a mold eradication endeavor, and I was a bit concerned about peaceful coexistence with my staff. However, it worked out okay - they ran the space heater on their side of the room, and I kept a fan going on my side. We're now back in our separate (and mold-free) offices, and life goes on!

HRQ · July 2003

I share an office with four others, two of whom are menopausal women who experience hot flashes regularly. The rest of us (including the owner!) have been threatened with violence or at least public humiliation should we even attempt to touch the thermostat.

I wear a sweater daily. I live in Phoenix. Temps are in the one-hundred-teens these days.

I just hope that when I go through that stage, the others in my office will tolerate MY turning the temp down! ;;)

Reggie02 · July 2003

I work in an office with six women and one man. We are in an old building cooled with window air conditioners. (You can see part of the problem already!) One of the women, the man, and myself have offices with doors off a large open room where the other four women sit and we have complete control of our environment -- heat and a/c. Of the four women who have to share space, one is going through menopause, one is of the age and beginning to show signs of menopause but is in denial, and one is overweight. These three are hot all the time. We have installed two ceiling fans, purchased oscilating fans, replaced the window units with newer models, and moved the window units to other windows to increase the potential outflow of air into the room. The ceiling fans are turned on so high that it's like walking into a wind tunnel when you go to the copier. The copies actually blow around and off the copier as they exit. Your hair parts and flattens out.

The women that complain of being hot all the time wear long sleeve shirts and layers of clothing. The one woman who is cold all the time wears sleeveless shirts and lightweight dresses. We actually had to tell the warm ones to dress cooler and the cold one to keep a sweater in the office and dress a little warmer.

Part of the irony of this whole situation is that I used to sit in the area where it is freezing cold all year round. Something about the set up of the office has one corner that is truly cold all the time. I used to wear gloves and sweaters all year round as well as have my space heater going. The lady that is now cold all the time used to sit on the other side of the partition and tease me and make fun of me. She would also go ballistic if I didn't have my a/c running in the spring/summer or if in the winter I turned the heat thermostat up to a toasty 72.

I am just so glad that I can now close my door and be as comfortable as can be!

Mentel · July 2003

We are in a relatively new building (two years old) and we also have the fight between the sexes regarding the temperature. The women have suggested that we drop cafeine sodas from the soda machine because this causes the men to heat up! Most of the women here keep a sweater on their chair all year round. For the person who works with the guy who is overweight, looks red and sweats, get him to a physician immediately. He has very high blood preasure which he is not controlling. When my husband got on high blood pressure medication, he wanted to know why is was so cold in our house. He finally got his temp down to normal and understood why we cover up with a throw to keep warm in the summer because of the air conditioning.

Rockie · July 2003

Mentel: I have heard of a lot of things in the office arena that cause men to "heat up", but caffeine is not one of them!

HRQ · August 2003

Reggie02,

In the interest of time, unforunately, perusing the "HR de har har" section of the Forum is a lower priority than the other sections, as I am sure is the case with many of you. I just read the statement "your hair parts and flattens out".

I had to laugh out loud, because I can relate. Very descriptive.

rad · August 2003

Yes! It is so cold in my office, I sometimes think I'll go insane. I have to keep a wool sweater at work just to make it through the day. Whats worse is that I pulled my back muscles two months ago and am still in really bad shape (bend at the knees!) and the doctor said excessive AC is the worst thing for me. So I sit in work cold, stiff and in pain. The menapausal(sp?) women love it, they walk around with sweat on their brows and stand under the blowers for comfort as I shiver. I guess I'll have to wait another 20 years to finally be warm. x;-)

Zanne · August 2003

My assistant is pregnant and warm all the time. We have consultants in our training room who seem to be hot blooded. I'm sitting here in my sweater thinking seriously about taking a walk around the block because it's 96 degrees outside.

Where is fall?????

NaeNae55 · August 2003

Hey Rad! I am menopausal and I get cold too. We have 2-3 women in our 14 employee office who complain of the heat almost every day. Meanwhile, those of us with private offices with windows close the door and open the window to let some of the cold out. I have actually done this and someone walked into my office and commented on how cold it is in here! The employees who can't open windows turn space heaters below their desks on.

I can get really worked up about being cold in the summer. Since I am middle-aged and overwieght, it's not like I am wearing skimpy clothes (what a picture!). But I do think it is rediculous to expect me to wear sweaters and long sleeves in the summer. After all, I am perfectly comfortable in public places in my short sleeves. Why can't I be comfortable at work?

Ok. I'll get off my soap box now. Thanks for letting me vent.

rad · August 2003

You have windows that open!?!!? I'm so jealous. I'm in a high rise so of course they don't, but it would be so nice to get some fresh air in here to regulate the temps rather than play the sweather on, sweater off game. I also have a space heater but all that does is make my feet hot, it shakes if its on my desk and then the "energy police" actually come by and confiscate them at night. Oh well, maybe we'll actually get a Fall this year and I can dress for indoors and out.

JKK · August 2003

I so understand all of the comments expressed in this posting... the building controls the temperature in our offices and keep changing it on us!!! One day the temperature will be almost perfect for the majority of the staff, and the next day it is either freezing cold or on one occasion they had forgotten to turn the air-conditioning on that morning and we nearly fainted from heat.
I also have an office with a window that opens and have been known to have the window open in the afternoon to try and warm up my office - although I am most famous for having my window open during a major snow fall because my office was too hot (the heating is as bad as the air conditioning, it often feels like the office has moved to the Bahamas in winter!!!) and no, I am not menopausal.

Don D · August 2003

I never thought I would claim being menopausal, but maybe I am. Our energy police keep the therms on 77 and the humidity in our fair state is typically 70-95%. I'm not overweight and wear golf shirts to work every day. I keep a small fan blowing. I have one of the few large windows to the outside world but it's real function is to let in tons of heat. On those days when The Forum gets real heated up, it is sweltering in here. Then toward the end of the day, when I conjure up a vision of sitting on my patio and cracking open a pop top and watching doves and hummingbirds at my feeders, things seem to mellow and I forget the heat. I have already ordered three cords of firewood for my wife. She will start burning it as soon as the cold snap brings us temps of 65! I take blood pressure medication but am not red unless Ritaanz or Leslie embarrasses me. One of the posts reminds me of something a crude friend of mine often says in jest, "You don't sweat much for a fat lady." Just remember, Jesus has a ceiling fan.

Aaaah, summer and air conditioning . . .

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