Productivity In the Workplace

In light of the 110 degree heat recently, I started thinking about what factors affect productivity, including things like weather. I, myself, love the hot weather and would take a 110 or 115 day over 10 or 20 degree days of the northeast and midwest. Also, I did grow up in Texas, where it can get to 105, with humidity sitting at a muggy 85 percent. However, I think weather is one factor that affects productivity in the workplace. It is nice to see sunlight and blue skies when you peer out the window in between breaks on a report.

Also, I always here from people who have lived or currently live in cold weather/four season places that your mood is brought down during the winter months. My sister always tells me it is so dreary from November to February or even March; waking up to the dark, brisk mornings, and leaving work on cold evenings chasing down the bus. I suppose we, Phoenecians could make the case that the heat hinders productivity, but I would not.

So how much of a factor does weather play in human being's day-to-day job or life? Surprisingly, more than we may think. I remember reading a CRS report about a year ago about climate change and its affects on the Earth, more importantly Americans. Actually, places like Boston, New York, and Philadelphia were expected to witness more economic productivity and growth due to their climate becoming much warmer. Now I do not know how much of a factor our current economy is on this, but I think the City of Brotherly Love would love to actually hold some truth to the phrase, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." I did kinda take that from the FX show.

We may all get sick of seeing the sun 345 days of the year out here, but I much rather be sick of light, than gloomed to misery of dark, cloudy, and cold days of fall and winter.