How the weather can affect our work ethic

October 13, 2017 Employees, Management , , , ,

Can the weather affect our work ethic?

New Zealand is officially on it’s way to summer with the second month of spring well underway. Have any of you out there considered how weather can actually affect our moods? You wake up on a bright sunny day, and the first thought that comes to your mind is what a beautiful day. You wake up on a rainy day and your first thought is what a horrible day. So how do these different forecasts impact your work ethic?

Rainy days

There are few people that are excited to wake up and see rain pouring on the concrete outside. The start of our day is important, the first hour of our mornings can decide our mood for the rest of the day. Obviously some hate rain more than others, I personally love sleeping to it which makes it all the more harder to get up when it’s raining in the morning.

It’s been said that rainy days can go either way with your work ethic. In some cases people feel gloomy as they watch the droplets landing on the leaves outside their windows and they lose concentration on what they’re supposed to be doing. Other times it has the opposite effect, people are so eager to get home and keep dry that they try to complete their work as fast as possible. In both of these situations people are not necessarily excited to be at work, their focus is on the rain and getting home.

Rain falling on the ground

Sunny days

That satisfying feeling when you open the curtains in the morning and those sun rays glare in as you get ready for work. Sunlight is said to increase our moods and even cure depression as the sun rays increase our serotonin levels.

Your mood is more likely to be lifted on a sunny afternoon. You’re more excited to attack the day and then head out into that sunlight by the end of it. However, even if you’re in the brightest of moods it can sometimes have the opposite effect on your productivity at work. Many of us can admit instead of working we’re watching out the window as the beautiful sun rays light up the street as we wish we could be out there enjoying it. Sun will effect everyone differently, but it’s suggested that you’re more likely to be productive during a sunny day as opposed to rainy.

Man standing in the sunlight

Cold days

Do we have many people out there that are the first to work? I believe you will understand my pain if so. Each winter morning I’m the first in the office. In the 3 degree weather the last thing anybody would want is to turn up to a freezing cold office and have to wait an hour for the heat pump to warm up.

Cold weather is a major decrease for work production. Our brains focus on warming ourselves up when we are cold. Constantly rubbing our hands together and warming away the goosebumps our focus is no longer on work. It’s important to have a neutral temperature throughout the office to keep our attention focused.example of snowy weather, snow pouring all over a car

Each of these forecasts affect every individual differently, however you will still find similarities in people working harder in the sunnier weather and people doing less in the rain. Weather has a huge impact on our moods and it’s important we all understand how the climate affects the brain. As an employer you might find if someone’s having a rough day at work the weather can tell you all you need.

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