Extreme heat weighs on UK productivity and labour supply

An intense heatwave that swept across the United Kingdom, France and other parts of Europe in June disrupted transport, schools and healthcare services, while significantly affecting workers’ productivity and health, a new study has found.

Research conducted by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, in collaboration with the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change, showed that workers in physically demanding and heat-exposed sectors — such as construction and agriculture — reduced their working hours more sharply than those in less exposed roles.

“Those working in jobs more highly exposed to heat and that are physically demanding, in sectors such as construction and agriculture, reduced their hours by more than those working in low-exposure and physically undemanding jobs such as academia,” the study found.

The survey, which covered 1,950 adults across the UK, found that average working time declined by 0.47 hours during the week beginning June 22.

It also reported that 3.6% of respondents — equivalent to around 1.25 million workers nationwide — did not work at all during that week due to the extreme heat.

Researchers assessed the perceived effects of the heatwave on “working hours, ability to sleep and any changes to how they travelled to work,” according to an LSE press release.

Health impacts were widespread, with 87% of respondents reporting at least one heat-related symptom. These included disrupted sleep, fatigue at work, as well as dizziness, fainting and an elevated heart rate.

Elizabeth Robinson, director of the Grantham Institute, said the findings underscored systemic vulnerabilities.

“Our findings point to a country that remains insufficiently adapted to the changing climate,” she said.

“The government cannot continue to ignore extreme heat,” Robinson added, urging it to “act now.”

The study comes as England recorded its warmest June on record, with scientists warning that extreme weather events are becoming increasingly frequent and intense due to climate change.

By Tamilla Hasanova