Vent--coworkers that are constantly cold

[AmericangirlinFrance]

I have to say, I am a "cold" person - not only do I "bring a sweater", but I usually wear my coat all day in my office. I don't think it should be so cold that even a cold-natured person has to wear a coat inside. That's what bothers me - the "hot natured" people always get to dictate what the thermostat is, which I don't think is right. If I put a sweater on and I'm still cold, time to turn it up a little.

That being said, I have lived in other Westernized countries, and the U.S. is the only place that believes in this "blasting of the AC" at all times. I think people are just so accustomed to it that it's considered "hot" if the AC isn't on... and to be COMPLETELY honest, I think part of the cultural difference is that an extremely large portion of the U.S. population is overweight or obese nowadays and gets warmer more easily. Not passing any judgment about it, but I think that is part of the reason.

But I always bring a coat or jacket to keep myself warm, and drink hot tea and coffee throughout the day.

But really... it is no fun to be cold in most public places! I would rather be hot than cold any day.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I haven't read all the replies but I have to tell you I am always cold and just b/c you are always hot doesn;t mean the person that is always cold is not as miserable as you are. WE ARE miserable if we get cold. I know for me my body aches and it hurts and I can't get any work done at all! of course I always have a jacket. I try to make sure I have a heater but in some place they don't allow it! I don't complain but it seems as though the people who are always hot are the ones that complain!

I just want you guys to understand that while we all sympathize with the hot peopel when do we cold people EVER get sympathy???

Never, LOL. Cold people don't get sympathy. DH and DH's entire family are super super warm people. I freeze when I go to his grandma's house, even in my fleece jacket and shoes on! They look at me like I'm nuts. And the funny thing is, I'm one of the warmer "cold" people, so I get the always-cold people looking at me like I'm crazy for being comfortable. I can't win!

Oh, and I always keep a sweatshirt or jacket with me or in my car. It's not like I'm unprepared!

 

[cheermom1]

I have to say, I am a "cold" person - not only do I "bring a sweater", but I usually wear my coat all day in my office. I don't think it should be so cold that even a cold-natured person has to wear a coat inside. That's what bothers me - the "hot natured" people always get to dictate what the thermostat is, which I don't think is right. If I put a sweater on and I'm still cold, time to turn it up a little.

That being said, I have lived in other Westernized countries, and the U.S. is the only place that believes in this "blasting of the AC" at all times. I think people are just so accustomed to it that it's considered "hot" if the AC isn't on... and to be COMPLETELY honest, I think part of the cultural difference is that an extremely large portion of the U.S. population is overweight or obese nowadays and gets warmer more easily. Not passing any judgment about it, but I think that is part of the reason.

But I always bring a coat or jacket to keep myself warm, and drink hot tea and coffee throughout the day.

But really... it is no fun to be cold in most public places! I would rather be hot than cold any day.

I totally agree with you which is why I asked if we cold people can get some sympathy like the hot people and NO, no amount of piling on the clothes will help it just doesn't!! you disagree all you want if it works for you but you have to remember what works for one person doesn;t always work for another! an NO I am not lieing when I say I'm cold and can prove it by rolling up my sleeves and showing you my goose bumps will that help you to believe me???

what I don;t get it as soon as the weather starts to turn nice we turn the ac on, why can't we open the windows and ENJOY the warmer weather before it turns too hot to enjoy!!!???? This is a HUGE issue at our house b/c everyone but me wants to turn the ac on as soon as it starts to get a little warmer, I would say mid 60's OPEN the darn windows and let the fresh air in dummies!!!

 

[Evi]

if your hot go to the server room its winter in there.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

if your hot go to the server room its winter in there.

Or come to where I sit - I'm right next to a "soft-wall clean room" and they keep it at 50 degrees in here. I am not joking.

I used to be one of those people who could go outside in January, with snow on the ground, wearing nothing but shorts and a tank top. Barefoot. But 10 years ago I had surgery, and right afterward, I noticed that I am now cold all the time. I don't take off my sweater until it's at least 80 degrees outside. But here at work, I have to wear a thermal t-shirt, 2 sweaters, and my coat. My fingers are still blue. My nose is frozen. I have a constant pain on my left side, from my shoulder up, where the AC hits me, and my left eye throbs all day. You walk out of this area, and it's about 20 degrees warmer...

 

[Golf4food]

I'm always cold at work. I keep a jacket at my desk year round. Even then I often can't feel my fingers much.

Studies have shown that warmer offices (within reason) are more productive.

I printed out an article about it once and taped it to my cube wall by the president wouldn't bump the temp.

 

[cheermom1]

I'm always cold at work. I keep a jacket at my desk year round. Even then I often can't feel my fingers much.

Studies have shown that warmer offices (within reason) are more productive.

I printed out an article about it once and taped it to my cube wall by the president wouldn't bump the temp.

That is funny. The reason it is more productive is b/c people aren't huddled up in their jackets and thinking about how cold they are. B/c if all you have on your mind is how cold you are you aren't thinking much of anything else!

 

[PatsMom]

That is funny. The reason it is more productive is b/c people aren't huddled up in their jackets and thinking about how cold they are. B/c if all you have on your mind is how cold you are you aren't thinking much of anything else!

And I would argue the opposite - that when all I can do is think about how hot it is and how it is hard to breathe that I am not very productive. Much better for my chilly co-worker to put a jacket on and wear a snuggie!

 

[cheermom1]

And I would argue the opposite - that when all I can do is think about how hot it is and how it is hard to breathe that I am not very productive. Much better for my chilly co-worker to put a jacket on and wear a snuggie!

But remeber what works for one person doesn;t always work for another. And for me to put on a jacket or a snuggie does not work and I i can show you the goose bumps to prove it! But at the same time I don't want it to be 80 either just comfortable as it should be and that doesn't mean it should be 60 either!

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

I dressed for summer all year long when I was working. Far too hot for me no matter what the weather. Of course, I suppose getting "older" had something to do with it...

It's so much better for computer equipment when it's cooler too, & I know I was able to work better when not burning up. Luckily our spot in the building had morning sun; those getting the afternoon sun must have been roasting! It might have helped if those near the windows would have shut the stupid blinds, but no, they wouldn't do that. They liked the sun. The building maintenance guys used to get so ticked off at that too. Finally the guys had the building owners send out memos telling folks to keep the blinds shut in the summer. Now if the memos had only been heeded...

 

[luvsJack]

Come into my world: Our "office" is a large classroom converted into an office with two glassed in offices and two desks with high counters in front of the glassed in offices.

One lady in the glassed in office stays hot all the time and the other stays cold. (there is only one thermostat in the whole area) One keeps a heater under her desk on year round, the other a small fan. So depending on who gets to the thermostat first it may be really hot in the room or really cold and each comes out several times a day and changes the temp. I wear short sleeves year round but bring a small jacket or sweater (but have needed a blanket! )

 

[Hedy]

What bothered me at my last office job was people whose coldness apparently meant they could skirt the dress code by wearing hoodies and gloves over work clothes.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I haven't read all the replies but I have to tell you I am always cold and just b/c you are always hot doesn;t mean the person that is always cold is not as miserable as you are. WE ARE miserable if we get cold. I know for me my body aches and it hurts and I can't get any work done at all! of course I always have a jacket. I try to make sure I have a heater but in some place they don't allow it! I don't complain but it seems as though the people who are always hot are the ones that complain!

I just want you guys to understand that while we all sympathize with the hot peopel when do we cold people EVER get sympathy???

The reason why hot people get sympathy from me and cold people do not is that hot people cannot do anything about being hot.

And to clarify, I am talking about a normal amount of clothing here. Not the wool sock and sweater wearing idiots who complain they're hot all the time. I'm talking about the average "hot people". They can only take so many pieces of clothing off. And I don't want them taking too much off .

"Cold people" can put layers on. I know. Although I'm an average temp person, I used to work in a place open to the outside world and I managed to stay warm in a single digit degree environment. It's entirely possible to keep warm. People do it all the time during winter sports. Invest in underarmour, it's very flexible and keeps the body warmer.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I think 68-72 degrees is the range any office thermostat should be at.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

And I would argue the opposite - that when all I can do is think about how hot it is and how it is hard to breathe that I am not very productive. Much better for my chilly co-worker to put a jacket on and wear a snuggie!

I agree as me+too hot=very irritable me. Not a good thing for anyone.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

For 3 years, I sat directly under an AC vent. I wore sweaters in the summertime (which I'm sure looked odd on a 90 degree day when we would go out for lunch). I had a blanket but the problem was my neck...the cold air would hit my neck, this would give me a headache. Some days I would have to wear a winter scarf, no lie. The AC was so strong, that papers on my desk would actually move a little. I begged to trade with another coworker who had hot flashes constantly. She was not under a vent but wanted to be. Unfortunately, our requests to change cubicles were ignored. Now it's a moot point...not working there. Oh, and they outlawed space heaters, for obvious reasons.
Oh, and the PP who mentioned the study that workers were more productive in warmer environments....I specifically remember printing it out and taking it to give to my boss. The study also showed that workers are more productive in lower light, not the bright flouresent we had to deal with. Oh well....so sorry, but I side with the cold people. But I do see both sides.

 

[aprilgail2]

What bothered me at my last office job was people whose coldness apparently meant they could skirt the dress code by wearing hoodies and gloves over work clothes.

Why would you care about what other people wore?

 

[OceanAnnie]

I agree as me+too hot=very irritable me. Not a good thing for anyone.

When it's too hot, I want to take a nap! It makes me sleepy.

I can see both sides too. I think 68-72 is a reasonable temp. setting. Then again a building's design, windows in regards to the sun and such all factor in too. Most places I've worked maintained a comfortable average temperature. The one place that was too cold, it did seem out of their hands somewhat being the building was so large and drafty.

It wasn't fun being so cold. But a lot of us were in the same boat and we dealt with it.

 

[RadioNate]

I think 68-72 is FREEZING. And as more than one person has pointed out it isn't as simple as putting on more layers. You say that as if walking around in a parka is remotely comfortable too.

I'm sorry but I'd rather be hot WAY more than I'd rather be cold. I'm MISERABLE when I'm cold, I'm sure I'm JUST AS miserable as 'you' are when you are hot. So just because you are 'hot' I should have to suffer and be miserably cold. My head should pound and my ears be in burning physical pain, constant goose bumps and shakes? Yeah, I'll wear a sweater but you really think I should have to wear my outdoor jacket and a blanket on my lap while I work because I'm so cold. Yes, it gets that bad! And trust me, I wouldn't even use "irritable" to describe my mood.

I think 'cold' people have been more than sympathetic to 'hot' people yet 'hot' people can't muster once ounce of sympathy for 'cold' people because there is no way they could be as miserable as you are. Ok then.

Cold people should "just deal with it" because you're hot, yet it is unfathomable for you to "just deal with it" because I'm cold.

Nice.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I think 68-72 is FREEZING. And as more than one person has pointed out it isn't as simple as putting on more layers. You say that as if walking around in a parka is remotely comfortable too.

I'm sorry but I'd rather be hot WAY more than I'd rather be cold. I'm MISERABLE when I'm cold, I'm sure I'm JUST AS miserable as 'you' are when you are hot. So just because you are 'hot' I should have to suffer and be miserably cold. My head should pound and my ears be in burning physical pain, constant goose bumps and shakes? Yeah, I'll wear a sweater but you really think I should have to wear my outdoor jacket and a blanket on my lap while I work because I'm so cold. Yes, it gets that bad! And trust me, I wouldn't even use "irritable" to describe my mood.

I think 'cold' people have been more than sympathetic to 'hot' people yet 'hot' people can't muster once ounce of sympathy for 'cold' people because there is no way they could be as miserable as you are. Ok then.

Cold people should "just deal with it" because you're hot, yet it is unfathomable for you to "just deal with it" because I'm cold.

Nice.

Well, I personally have never been in charge of the office thermometer. I have never touched an office thermometer. I personally have not been asked about my thoughts on any office temperature by the powers that be. So those were just my random thoughts that doesn't effect anyone but me. Those temps work for me, sorry they don't work for you.

Everyone has a different take. I never said just deal with it. I said, I did, I dealt with it. I know how miserable it is to be cold. I'm cold natured, but the degree of cold naturedness varies from person to person.

I'm sure it's hard to keep everyone happy in regards to work environment temps..