It's Too Hot to Work...
Or Is It? ☀️
"The Spanish work in this weather all the time."
"Stop moaning."
"I'd rather be too hot than too cold."
Sound familiar?
Social media has been full of opinions this week as another UK heatwave has swept across the country.
But while we're all debating whether 30°C is "actually that hot"...
I think we're missing the real conversation.
This isn't really about the weather.
It's about people.
Not Everyone Experiences a Heatwave the Same Way
Some of us are lucky.
We're working from home with the fan on, a cold drink on the desk and an iced coffee within arm's reach.
Others are...
🚧 Working on construction sites.
🏥 Caring for patients on hospital wards.
🚌 Driving buses.
👩🏫 Teaching in classrooms with 30 children.
🍳 Standing in hot kitchens.
📦 Picking orders in warehouses.
🚚 Delivering parcels.
👷 Wearing PPE.
🏢 Sitting in offices where the only "air conditioning" is opening a window.
The reality is...
Heat doesn't affect us all equally.
"But Spain Manages..."
I've heard this so many times over the past few weeks.
"The Spanish work in this weather all the time."
They do.
But they also adapt.
In many parts of Spain, it's common to start work earlier, avoid the hottest part of the day, take longer breaks or adjust working patterns during extreme heat. Spain has also strengthened workplace protections that require employers to assess heat risks and take action when conditions become unsafe.
The question isn't...
"Can people work in 30°C?"
Of course they can.
The better question is...
"Should they have to work exactly the same way they do in 18°C?"
When Does This Become an HR Issue?
This is where I think the conversation gets really interesting.
The UK currently has no legal maximum workplace temperature.
Employers must provide a "reasonable" working environment and manage risks to health and safety, but there's no set temperature at which work has to stop.
With hotter summers becoming more frequent, there's now renewed debate about introducing a legal maximum workplace temperature. Trade unions have suggested employers should act when workplaces exceed 24°C if staff are uncomfortable, with proposed maximums of 30°C for indoor work and 27°C for physically demanding roles.
But whether the law changes or not...
I don't think great leadership waits for legislation.
Heat Doesn't Just Make Us Sweat
It affects...
🧠 Concentration.
😩 Patience.
💭 Decision-making.
💧 Hydration.
❤️ Energy levels.
⚠️ Safety.
We've all experienced it.
You read the same email three times.
You lose your train of thought halfway through a meeting.
The smallest problem suddenly feels enormous.
It's not because you're lazy.
It's because your brain is working harder just to regulate your body.
Productivity Isn't Measured in Sweat
Somewhere along the way we've confused discomfort with dedication.
"I worked through it."
"The office was 31°C and we still got everything done."
But should that really be the benchmark?
Being physically present doesn't automatically mean people are productive.
Sometimes it simply means they're uncomfortable.
So What Does a Good Employer Do?
Not every business can install air conditioning.
Not every employee can work from home.
Not every role can finish early.
But every employer can ask...
💧 Do our people have easy access to drinking water?
🌳 Can we create cooler spaces or provide extra fans?
👕 Can we relax dress codes where it's safe?
🕒 Could we stagger start and finish times?
☀️ Could outdoor work happen earlier or later in the day?
🏡 Is home working an option for some roles?
💬 Most importantly...Have we actually asked our people what they need?
Because one size never fits all.
The parent travelling on a packed train.
The pregnant employee.
The colleague going through the menopause.
The construction worker.
The office administrator.
They'll all experience the same heatwave differently.
This Isn't Really About the Weather
It's about culture.
It's about flexibility.
It's about recognising that people aren't machines.
At MOCO Coaching, we spend a lot of time talking about creating workplaces where people can thrive - not just survive.
Whether it's extreme heat...
Returning from maternity leave...
Supporting someone through grief...
Or helping an employee caring for ageing parents...
The principle is always the same.
Listen first.
Adapt where you can.
Lead with empathy.
The weather will cool down.
The headlines will move on.
But your people will remember how they felt when they worked for you.
And perhaps that's the real question every leader should be asking this summer...
Are we building workplaces that simply get the job done... or workplaces where people genuinely feel looked after?