The effects of temperature on work performance in the typical office environment: A meta-analysis of current evidence

What the study found

Temperatures above about 25 °C tended to worsen accuracy or response time in some conditions, especially longer exposures and skilled tasks; moderately cooler conditions were less consistently harmful.

Limitations

Task and exposure-duration effects remain heterogeneous; pooled thresholds should not be treated as universal.

Neurodesign interpretation

The emerging pattern is not a magic temperature. It is asymmetry: sustained warmth may impose a larger cognitive cost for some skilled tasks than modest cool conditions.

Possible design implications

Design thermal zones and adaptive systems around task duration and individual variation.

Study design

Meta-analysis

Population

Participants across 30 studies

Setting

Typical office conditions

Field

Thermal environment

Mechanism

Heat exposure, task accuracy, response time

Spatial variable

Office temperature

Keywords

temperature, office, performance, meta-analysis