Study: Cold offices impact women's performance

LOS ANGELES (WPVI) -- You've probably seen it in your workplace - the battle of the thermostat. Many women say it's too cold to work, but the men in the office think the temperature is fine.

A new study by the University of Southern California confirms the gender gap on temperature and how it affects productivity.

In experiments conducted at various temperatures from 61 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit, women performed better on verbal and math tasks at higher temperatures, while men did better in a colder room.

However, the relationship between work and temperature is less pronounced for men.

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, confirms that temperature isn't just a matter of comfort or personal preference, but can really affect work performance.

The researchers say at a job with both men and women, temperatures should be set a lot higher than current standards.

The study has implications for building design.

Study leaders say companies invest a lot in desks, lighting, and computers to make a comfortable, productive workplace, and they should pay attention to temperature, too

To that, sweater-clad women everywhere say amen.