53% of employees believe their company is not ready to effectively manage heatwave episodes.

As climate projections suggest another summer marked by high temperatures, OberA conducted a survey* among 4,203 active workers in France, to better understand how employees perceive and experience heatwave episodes in their workplace, as well as the level of preparedness of companies facing these increasingly frequent situations. This survey highlights a persistent gap between the reality of working conditions and the concrete measures implemented to address them.

Will it be a hot summer?

It is difficult to predict the weather this summer. Nevertheless, many projections anticipate a particularly hot summer with risks of heat peaks like in previous years. Thus, the French population seems largely informed of these risks, as 78% have heard about them (29% well informed and 49% vaguely).

More than one in two companies is not ready

To cope with these temperature increases, only 39% of French people believe their company is prepared (11% fully and 28% rather). Thus, 53% believe their company is not ready to effectively manage heatwave episodes: 31% rather not and 22% not at all.

Uncomfortable workplaces

This observation becomes clearer when employees are asked to evaluate the temperature in their company’s premises, as 51% do not consider it comfortable: 34% uncomfortable and 17% very uncomfortable. It therefore seems that a minority of employees work in well-cooled environments, but a very significant proportion work in offices, shops, workshops, warehouses, or sites very poorly protected from summer overheating.

A lack of communication?

To remedy this discomfort, a first step would be to talk about it. Because 67% of French people have never reported a temperature-related problem in their workplace to their superior. In detail, 24% thought about it but didn’t do it, and 43% never expressed anything. So, while thermal discomfort is frequent, it often remains dealt with informally, occasionally, or is not reported.

What equipment do employees have against the heat?

Among all possible solutions, access to cool water is the most widespread device, cited by 71% of French people. Fans (39%) and sun protection (38%) appear as fairly frequent solutions, as they are less expensive and easier to deploy than air conditioning (36%). Unfortunately, truly effective devices like air coolers are very poorly represented (9%).

What concrete measures?

The expectations of French people would first lean towards easy-to-implement measures such as adjusting working hours (56%) to avoid the hottest times, providing simple equipment (42%), or planning for cooled spaces (47%). The installation of air coolers is also favored by 41% of French people who prefer a more sustainable and technical arrangement.

In which sectors is heat most problematic?

Agriculture clearly leads the sectors where heat is considered very problematic at 57%, as outdoor exposure is direct and often prolonged. Construction and industry follow closely at 43%, due to physical labor and already hot environments. The public sector comes in third place with 41%.

An employer’s little-known obligation

The employer’s obligation to implement measures to protect employees from heat peaks exists in labor law and has been significantly reinforced since July 2025. This fact is known by only about a third of French people (32%). But given that it remains technical and very recent, 54% of French people are unaware that their employer has an obligation to act in case of a heatwave alert. It should also be noted that 14% do not know how to answer this question.

“The results of our survey clearly show that heat is no longer an occasional issue but a structural challenge for the world of work. However, companies remain very unevenly prepared across all sectors, and employees are insufficiently informed of their rights and existing provisions. Faced with the increasing number of heat episodes, it becomes essential to anticipate more, adapt work environments, and make prevention a reflex. This is a matter of health, performance, and attractiveness for companies.”

Thibaut SAMSEL CEO and Founder of OberA