Summer days can send office temperatures soaring, which can have catastrophic effects on workplace productivity. If the heat is preventing your employees from working at their best, use these tips to bring the indoor temperature down to a more comfortable level.

1. Banish Bright Sunlight

Direct sunlight falling on the windows of an office can make the temperature inside soar. Installing slatted or sunshade blinds can reduce the heat delivered by the sun's rays, while still allowing ambient light to enter.

2. Reduce Heat Generation

Electronic office equipment can generate a lot of heat. Switch off computers, printers and photocopiers when they are not in use. Ensure that the last person to leave the office at the end of the day switches off all remaining equipment.

3. Improve Ventilation

Good ventilation can make a significant difference to employees' perception of the temperature inside an office. When the humidity level is 50 percent, a breeze of 0.5 m/s can make the air feel 3 degrees cooler. That could make the difference between employees complaining about the heat and getting on with their work. Ensure that all ventilation vents are open and that there is nothing blocking the air that flows from them.

4. Give Out Fans

If it is not possible to improve ventilation in your office, you can use fans to create an artificial breeze. Give each employee a desk fan so each person can have control over the temperature in their working environment. This will cut down on the number of arguments over whether the air conditioner is set too high or too low.

5. Schedule an Air Conditioning Maintenance Check

If your commercial air conditioning system is struggling to cope with the heat, schedule a maintenance check. It could be that the filters are clogged, preventing air from flowing freely through the system. An experienced air conditioning technician can check all the components in the air conditioning system and replace any that are faulty. This should allow the unit to operate more efficiently, which could result in not only a cooler office space but also lower energy bills.

6. Relax the Dress Code

When temperatures soar, the health and wellbeing of employees must come before the image of the business. Relax the dress code in summer to allow men to wear short-sleeved shirt and women to wear light blouses and skirts. Employees will appreciate your efforts to make them more comfortable.