53% of employees believe their company is not prepared to effectively manage heat waves

While the whole of France is experiencing an unusual heat wave for the month of May and climate projections suggest another summer marked by high temperatures, OberA conducted a survey* of 4.203 working people in France to better understand how employees perceive and experience episodes of intense heat in their workplace, as well as the level of preparedness of companies in the face of these increasingly frequent situations.

This survey highlights a persistent gap between the reality of working conditions and the concrete measures put in place to address them.

Will the summer be hot?

It's difficult to predict the weather this summer. However, many forecasts predict a particularly hot summer with a risk of heat waves, similar to previous years.

Thus, the French seem to be mostly informed of these risks since 78% have heard about them (29% well informed and 49% vaguely).

More than half of businesses are not ready

To cope with these temperature increases, only 39% of French people think their company is prepared (11% completely and 28% somewhat).

Thus, 53% believe that their company is not ready to effectively manage episodes of extreme heat: 31% somewhat not and 22% not at all.

Uncomfortable workplaces

This observation becomes clearer when employees are asked about the temperature in their company's premises, as 51% do not consider it comfortable: 34% uncomfortable and 17% very uncomfortable.

It therefore appears that a minority of employees work in well-cooled environments, but that a very large proportion work in offices, shops, workshops, warehouses or sites with very little protection from summer overheating.

A lack of communication?

To address this discomfort, a first step would be to talk about it. 67% of French people have never reported a temperature-related problem in their workplace to their supervisor. Specifically, 24% have considered it but haven't done so, and 43% have never expressed any concern at all.

While thermal discomfort is therefore frequent, it often remains treated informally, on an ad hoc basis, or is not reported.

What do employees have available to combat the heat?

Among all the possible solutions for coping with higher temperatures, access to fresh water is the most common, cited by 71% of French people. Fans (39%) and sunshades (38%) also appear to be fairly frequent solutions, as they are less expensive and easier to implement than air conditioning (36%).

Unfortunately, truly effective devices like air coolers are very poorly represented (9%).

What concrete measures?

The expectations of the French would first go towards measures that are easy to implement such as adjusting schedules (56%) to avoid the hottest hours, providing simple equipment (42%) or providing cool spaces (47%).

The installation of air coolers is also favoured by 41% of French people who favour a more sustainable and technical approach.

In which sectors is heat the most problematic?

Agriculture is clearly at the top of the list of sectors where heat is considered very problematic at 57%, because outdoor exposure is direct and often prolonged.

Construction and industry follow closely behind at 43%, due to physical work, outdoor construction sites and already hot environments such as workshops or production areas.

The public sector comes in third place with 41%, demonstrating a real need to manage the heat, which can quickly become a source of discomfort and risk. Recent accounts and analyses of heatwaves in the workplace also show that the healthcare, administrative, and public service sectors are also heavily affected.

A little-known obligation of the employer

The issue of the employer's obligation to implement measures to protect employees from heat waves does exist in labor law and has been significantly strengthened since July 2025. A fact that is known by only about a third of the French (32%).

However, given its technical and recent nature, 54% of French people are unaware that their employer has an obligation to act in the event of a heatwave alert. It should also be noted that 14% do not know the answer to this question.

According to Thibaut SAMSEL, CEO and founder of OberA: “The results of our survey clearly show that heat is no longer an isolated issue but a structural challenge for the world of work. Yet, companies remain very unevenly prepared across all sectors, and employees are insufficiently informed about their rights and the existing support systems. Faced with the increasing frequency of heat waves, it is becoming essential to anticipate them better, adapt work environments, and make prevention a reflex. This is a matter of health, performance, and attractiveness for companies.”

*Methodology :

This online survey was conducted from March 24 to 31, 2026, among a national sample of 4,203 employed individuals aged 18 and over residing in France. The sample was constructed using the quota method and then weighted to ensure its representativeness of the employed population in France. Quotas were applied based on gender, age, region, socio-professional category, employment status, company size, and sector of activity.

The results were weighted using INSEE reference data on the structure of the employed workforce. Data collection was carried out via an online system based on a panel of respondents and targeted electronic solicitations.

Sector of activity declared by respondents for their employer or main activity: