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Heat and Team Production: Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • Garg, Teevrat

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Jagnani, Maulik

    (Tufts University)

  • Lyons, Liz

    (University of California, San Diego)

Abstract

Heat's impact on economic growth and aggregate productivity is well-established, but while individual impairments are well-understood as mechanisms, the role of interpersonal dynamics remain unexplored despite the growing prevalence of team-based occupations. In our experiment, programmers were randomly assigned to work individually or in pairs under warm (29°C) or control (24°C) conditions. We found that heat had no effect on individual performance but impaired team performance—not through decreased effort but likely through impaired collaboration. This negative impact was strongest in heterogeneous teams, suggesting heat exacerbates coordination challenges, confirmed by poorer partner evaluations in warm conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Garg, Teevrat & Jagnani, Maulik & Lyons, Liz, 2025. "Heat and Team Production: Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh," IZA Discussion Papers 17870, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17870
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marshall Burke & Solomon M. Hsiang & Edward Miguel, 2015. "Global non-linear effect of temperature on economic production," Nature, Nature, vol. 527(7577), pages 235-239, November.
    2. David J. Deming, 2017. "The Growing Importance of Social Skills in the Labor Market," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 132(4), pages 1593-1640.
    3. Burke, Marshall & Hsiang, Solomon M & Miguel, Edward, 2015. "Global non-linear effect of temperature on economic production," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt3g72r0zv, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    4. Elizabeth Lyons, 2017. "Team Production in International Labor Markets: Experimental Evidence from the Field," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 9(3), pages 70-104, July.
    5. Melissa LoPalo, 2023. "Temperature, Worker Productivity, and Adaptation: Evidence from Survey Data Production," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(1), pages 192-229, January.
    6. Geoffrey Heal & Jisung Park, 2016. "Editor's Choice Reflections—Temperature Stress and the Direct Impact of Climate Change: A Review of an Emerging Literature," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 10(2), pages 347-362.
    7. Yuta J. Masuda & Teevrat Garg & Ike Anggraeni & Kristie Ebi & Jennifer Krenz & Edward T. Game & Nicholas H. Wolff & June T. Spector, 2021. "Warming from tropical deforestation reduces worker productivity in rural communities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    team production; heat stress; labor productivity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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