Your Office Thermostat Is Sexist!

Ahh, that's perfect. The temperature at work I mean.

There you are in your office, working away, and you don't even think about the temperature. There's no need to because it's exactly where you like it.

That is, if you happen to be of the male persuasion. Then you look over at your female co-worker and she has a sweater on. Or a space heater nearby. Maybe even a blanket. Geez, what's wrong with her??

Probably nothing.

According to a report I saw on The Independent, most office buildings set temperatures based on a decades-old formula that uses the metabolic rates of men. And it turns out the metabolic rates of men and women aren't the same.

The article reports on various scientific studies that have discovered that women have colder extremities than men and use of the birth control pill can also raise the temperature of women which in turn can affect how their bodies respond to office thermostat temperatures.

They go on to say most office temperature settings were taken from a model devised by tests in the 60s,” when the majority of workers were male.

And times have changed.

So if you're comfy in the office and your female co-worker is shivering, there's a valid reason.