What Your Office’s Temperature Says About Gender Bias

If you’re one of those women turning into a popsicle in the office, don’t worry, because it’s not just you. Research shows that companies across the U.S. show that, based on decades-old studies, offices calibrate their air conditioning to the “metabolic rates” of men.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s when men made up most of the workforce, this made (some) sense. But now, with just as many women working as men, the days of being a burrito blanket need to end. By slightly adjusting office temperatures to be a little warmer, not only will ladies feel more comfortable, but a company can cut down on energy consumption, too. Win-win? I think so.

For more information on this phenomenon, check out The New York Times here.

Cover image courtesy of Shutterstock.

By Lily Herman on August 4, 2015
Lily is the Managing Editor at HelloFlo, where she oversees all editorial and social media operations for the brand. In addition to her work at HF, she's co-founder and CEO of The Prospect, the largest student-run college access organization in the world. Her work has been featured on TIME, Forbes, Newsweek, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Mashable, USA TODAY and Lifehacker. You can perpetually find her on Twitter.