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Heating in the office: It goes without saying that you don’t come to the office in a T-shirt in winter
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IMAGO/Michael Bihlmayer / IMAGO/Bihlmayer photography
The Energy Saving Ordinance of the Federal Ministry of Economics is causing trouble. Work rooms for "physically light activities that are mainly carried out while sitting" should therefore be heated to a maximum of 19 degrees. The President of the Association of German Occupational and Company Physicians, Dr. medical Wolfgang Panter does not believe in this regulation. He warns against too cold offices.
SPIEGEL:
Mr. Panter, how about 19 degrees in the office?
Panter:
I have nothing against 19 degrees for activities where you can move around in the office.
It becomes problematic when, for example, air traffic controllers are tied in front of the screen and cannot move away from there.
Or think of jobs that require a high level of dexterity, such as computer-aided design (CAD) or watchmaking.
The colder the fingers get there, the poorer the fine motor skills.
DER SPIEGEL:
So you're not concerned with health effects at all?
Panter:
First of all, it's about performance, that's what companies must have the greatest interest in and it must be guaranteed.
I don't believe that this leads to diseases.
SPIEGEL:
How high does the temperature have to be for efficient work?
Panter:
Most people will be comfortable somewhere between 21 and 22 degrees.
But there are also people whose feel-good temperature is 20 degrees, in other cases 23 degrees.
This is an individual experience and cannot be influenced.
Companies must have an interest in people feeling good.
Otherwise the performance drops.
SPIEGEL:
And two degrees play a role here?
Panther:
If the temperature drops by two or three degrees, you'll notice it.
In certain workplaces this is certainly not a problem.
But when it comes to vigilance, for example, if you are constantly on the alert, it becomes difficult when it gets too cold.
This distracts us.
SPIEGEL:
Wouldn't that be more of an opportunity to talk about working conditions?
Panter:
Of course, the question of work organization and work ergonomics arises.
But there will be a whole range of jobs where this is not possible.
For example, control stations, which today also play an important role in industry.
MIRROR:
How about a warm sweater or a hot cup of tea?
Panter:
It goes without saying that you don't come to the office in a t-shirt in winter. But I don't think we should wear gloves in the office.
SPIEGEL:
At 19 degrees, nobody will have to wear gloves.
Panter:
Saving energy is important, there's no question about that.
But we also have to see what kind of performance we expect from people.
Pragmatic solutions have to be found.
So any number of degrees were thrown into the room.
SPIEGEL:
Why are you only warning about this now?
The measures were announced in August.
Panter:
We weren't asked.
It was only brought to us by a media inquiry.
We would have liked to talk about it with the local people beforehand and see: where can it be done and where not?
SPIEGEL:
Would you have wished for more involvement yourself?
Panther:
Yes.
At least one could have talked about it.
In politics, a quick shot is very often taken at the moment, but it doesn't always hit the mark.
It would have been better if there had been a discussion first and then adjustments made at an early stage.
