By Jen Carsen
When you think about providing employees with “wearables,” you probably think something more along the lines of fitbits than long johns.
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But British retailer Marks & Spencer recently—if reluctantly—experienced a throwback in this area when it provided store employees at a branch in Shropshire, England, with free thermal underwear after the heating system went down.
According to a story in The Telegraph, indoor temperatures plummeted to “fridge-like” conditions, well below the 16 degrees Celsius (approximately 61 degrees Fahrenheit) set as a low-end guideline for indoor workplaces by Britain’s Health and Safety Executive. Temporary heaters were also set up inside the store.
Good employee benefits often make working conditions more pleasant, but providing indoor employees with the gear to prevent frostbite truly goes above and beyond. Could Marks & Spencer be at the leading edge of a new trend? Only time—and temps—will tell.