According to experts, changes affecting workplaces due to warming can generally be divided into two categories.
There will be more night shifts
The first is outdoor, unrefrigerated environments – such as agriculture or manufacturing – where elevated temperatures are not controlled. In 2022, a street sweeper in Madrid died of heatstroke after working in extreme temperatures, according to reports. BBC. Accordingly, scientists say the biggest changes are likely to occur in these types of work environments to protect workers.
“Working outdoors in temperatures will require shorter shifts, more breaks, and more night work,” says John P. Abraham, a professor of thermal engineering at the University of St. Thomas in the US.
While it is possible for this group of workers to shift their work hours to the evening hours, this approach is not a panacea and still carries risks. First, nighttime temperatures rise faster than daytime temperatures. “If workers work in the heat of the day, but the temperature at night is warm enough that their bodies don’t cool off, they will have a much tougher time the next day,” he explains. Other safety issues, such as visibility, can also be an issue.
Abraham believes that air-conditioned coolers will become more popular for workers in non-temperature-controlled environments, and that employers will need to include breaks for workers to cool their body temperature enough to resume work.
Home work and the four day work week may come due to the heat
Workers who work indoors or in a refrigerated environment may be relatively safer from exposure to extreme temperatures, but they also need to consider changes in their work schedule.
“Modern working arrangements such as telecommuting, hybrid working, four-day workweek and 6-hour work days instead of 8-hour work days are proving beneficial during heatwaves,” says Mansour Soomro, Senior Lecturer in Sustainability, International Business, Leadership, Management and Human Resources at the University of Teesside International Business School (UK).
Staff can also feel better at home in the heat thanks to casual clothing.
In both environments, some workers are already adjusting their work schedules to start work earlier and finish work before the midday temperature peak — something Soomro expects they will continue to do.
Corporate actions and buildings in transition
Employers can also introduce new measures for employees.
According to Soomro, some employers conduct periodic heat risk assessments to identify groups most at risk from extreme temperatures, including the elderly workforce, pregnant women, and workers with disabilities.
Likewise, he predicts that companies will increasingly implement heat-related health and wellness initiatives. These could include training workshops on how to deal with heat stress or fitness and nutrition plans to help workers adapt to a changing climate.
Infrastructure investments will also be key. “Companies are investing in heat-resistant work environments, which includes sustainable infrastructure with better air conditioning,” says Soomro.
Legislation is also shaped by frequent increased heat
Changing work days in response to climate change also makes business sense for managers.
“Heat discomfort negatively affects work performance and productivity,” says Soomro. Likewise, companies want to avoid the consequences of heat-related medical conditions as much as possible. “Employees are at a disadvantage when they get sick, lose days of work and wages, and this can affect their family lives. Employers have to bear the consequences of medical treatment, loss of productivity and legal disputes.”
Although the burden of protecting workers usually falls on companies, Abraham and Soomro agree that legislation must also play a role — and quickly. Some governments are already introducing laws to tackle work in an era of rising temperatures. After the hottest month of April on record in the country, Spain has announced new laws for both business owners and workers. In addition to providing financial support to businesses affected by drought, the new legislation states that when weather conditions reach the Orange Level (high risk) or Red Level (extreme risk), employers will be required to adjust working conditions, including reducing or modifying scheduled working hours.
Despite the urgency, according to some research, most countries are completely unprepared to respond quickly.
A July 2023 report by the University of Oxford highlighted an “unprecedented increase in cooling demand”. According to their research, energy demand for cooling by 2050 is expected to be equal to the combined electricity capacity of the United States, the European Union and Japan in 2016. The research also showed that places unaccustomed to hot weather were unprepared according to the analysis – the hardest hit countries include Ireland, the United Kingdom and Finland.
