Office noise –A STRESS FACTOR?

Guy Osmond, Managing Director of Osmond Ergonomics, explores postpandemic office noise – the challenges, solutions and even the benefits

One of the issues we’ve seen rise to prominence since the pandemic is office noise. After so much time working from home, it’s something employees seem to really be struggling with.

While it’s likely offices aren’t actually any noisier than they were in 2019, the fact that they feel louder appears to be shaping office design. We’ve seen orders for quieter working spaces like pods, hubs and soundproof phone boxes rise markedly, as have requests for sound-absorbing panels, soft furnishing, screens and green walls which all help dampen acoustic reverberation.

Managing Noise

The degree to which noise is a stressor is subjective, but the evidence indicates it is significant enough for mitigating steps to be considered. Researchers investigating the effects of open plan office noise on employees’ cognitive performance and physiological stress in the wake of COVID-19 found that, while typical office noise did not reduce immediate cognitive task performance when compared to a quieter environment, it did reduce psychological well-being.

Sensors were used to track changes in heart rate and sweat – both good indicators of physiological stress. This was analysed in combination with facial emotion recognition software which assessed emotional responses and asked participants to self-report their feelings on a mood scale. Even after a short exposure, negative mood increased by 25% and sweat response by 34%.

Ironically, the shift to hybrid working post-COVID also means that, often, there are fewer people in the office at any one time, resulting in many workplaces actually being quieter than before. This too can be a problem. In a space with fewer people, but one that was designed for more, a low noise level can feel uncomfortable, with every sound – a door slam or a phone call – appearing far more jarring.

The upshot? You want to manage noise, but you don’t need to eliminate it. Many companies, including my own, have opted to install ceiling speakers to provide background music or even white noise. The most advanced systems come complete with microphones picking up sounds around the room so that noise-cancelling frequencies can be pumped from the speakers to quell them.

The 4cs

At Osmond Ergonomics, our conversations are often framed by four core working behaviours: contemplation, concentration, communication and collaboration – the 4Cs.

It’s important to design office spaces where people can find a quieter area for intense, concentrated work, or somewhere calm for deep reflection. However, when it comes to collaboration and communication, there are clear benefits to a bustling, open, even slightly noisy shared working environment.

Consider how much employees can learn and how much they can teach just by being in an open space. Team members can tune into others’ work discussions, they can chip in with support and information, and resolve issues instantly. Such friction-free interactions, which avoid the need for emails back and forth, can boost productivity and are especially useful for more junior team members.

Osmond Ergonomics has been in the business of workplace ergonomics for 30 years, providing products and solutions to support well-being and productivity. Managing Director Guy Osmond has been at the cutting edge of this sector, exploring connections between mental and physical health and engagement, and productivity since long before these were commonplace conversation topics.

Just by being around others, employees absorb an enormous amount. They can acquire the shared language of a team, for instance, identify where knowledge and experience lie, appreciate the tone and approach of colleagues, and learn from others how to handle difficult situations.

This learning by osmosis is a powerful, yet effortless, mechanism for assimilating the culture and values of an organisation –something which is much harder to achieve without a busy office setting.

Striking A Balance

Like anywhere else, there is no ultimate one-size-fits-all solution and much depends on the type of work and the nature of the individual doing it. Noise – or even the lack thereof – isn’t the enemy, certainly not one that can’t be kept at bay with plenty of consideration and clever design.

It is absolutely possible to strike a healthy balance to optimise both individual and collective well-being as well as productivity.