'Bit warm, isn't it?': Why We Need to Take Workers' Wellbeing Seriously in a Warmer London

This summer, like the last few, London has felt uncomfortably hot. Not the dry heat of a Mediterranean holiday, but a heavy, sticky warmth that clings to the city’s pavements and suffocates our homes, buses, and workplaces. And while we may joke about it — “bit warm, isn't it?”—the reality for many workers is no laughing matter.

The capital is heating up, quite literally. With climate change driving more frequent and intense heatwaves, the effects are becoming harder to ignore. But what’s still too often overlooked is how this affects the people keeping the city running: the workers.

Whether it's a construction worker in high-vis gear under a relentless sun, or an office employee sweating through a spreadsheet in a poorly ventilated building, the heat is impacting how people feel, function, and work. Research backs this up. The UK Health Security Agency has reported a growing link between heatwaves and health risks like dehydration, fatigue, and even heatstroke. And it’s not just a physical toll because mental sharpness drops too. Cognitive function and decision-making are shown to decline with rising temperatures, as highlighted in The Lancet Planetary Health. In practical terms, that means more mistakes, slower thinking, and higher risk particularly in jobs where safety matters.

I’ve spoken to friends who drive delivery vans, wear chef’s whites in hot kitchens, or work in old office buildings with windows that barely open. The common thread? Exhaustion. One friend who cycles for a courier service told me he now brings twice as much water as he used to, and still finishes the day light-headed and drained.

London’s unique geography adds another layer. The so-called “urban heat island” effect means the city holds onto heat, staying warm well into the night. That makes recovery between shifts harder, especially for those living in flats with little ventilation or outdoor space. And looking ahead, this isn’t a temporary blip. By the 2050s, some climate scientists suggest London could face as many as 60 days of heatwave conditions each year. That’s two months of conditions most workplaces just aren’t built to handle.

So what do we do about it?

At the heart of the issue is a simple but too-often neglected principle: worker wellbeing matters. We need to shift the conversation from coping with heat to proactively designing workplaces around health and safety in a changing climate.

The Trades Union Congress has been pushing for a legal maximum working temperature which countries like Spain already have. It’s a sensible idea to consider, but not yet a legal reality here. In the meantime, employers could be thinking creatively: flexible hours to avoid peak heat, guaranteed rest breaks, access to cold water, and investment in cooling infrastructure where possible. These aren’t luxuries, but essentials for any workplace which wants to take care of its workers.

And it's not just on employers. We all have a role in advocating for healthier work environments, especially as extreme weather becomes more common. For workers in precarious or low-paid jobs, the power to speak up can be limited. That’s why support from unions, local authorities, and even customers and clients matters.

The truth is, we can’t afford to treat this as a summer inconvenience anymore. A hotter London is here to stay. The question is whether we’ll adapt in ways that prioritise the health, dignity, and wellbeing of the people who keep the city going. Because when we look after workers, we’re not just making life more bearable—we’re making the whole system more sustainable.