Boost Workplace Productivity by Reducing Noise

Employees in Open-Plan Offices and Their Frustration with Distractions

A study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology in 2013 found that many employees working in open-plan offices are frustrated by distractions that reduce their performance. Nearly half of the surveyed employees said that the benefits of increased "ease of interaction" — often promoted as an advantage of open offices — were outweighed by the downsides of elevated noise levels.

Researchers also found that people working in private offices experienced fewer issues with colleague interactions. According to the study, open-plan layouts also limit confidential or private conversations between employees.

In 2014, The New Yorker reviewed several studies focused on open-plan offices and concluded that this type of environment harms productivity, concentration, creative thinking, and employee satisfaction.

An Increasing Number of Distractions

Employees working in open-plan offices may feel like they’re part of an innovative company that promotes teamwork and collaboration. This type of layout also gives them the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with colleagues. However, it also makes them more vulnerable to distractions.

Encouraging immediate interaction with others often leads to more frequent interruptions. Loud coworkers, spontaneous brainstorming, meetings, finger tapping, unexpected questions from colleagues, and incoming calls can easily pull employees away from their tasks.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Irvine found that the average office worker has only 11 minutes between interruptions. After an unplanned disruption, it takes them about 25 minutes to return to their original task. These estimates provide a clear picture of how uncontrolled interactions in open offices decrease productivity.

Health Impacts of Workplace Noise

A noisy work environment can also indirectly affect employee performance by damaging their health.

Long-term exposure to noise has been linked to elevated levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Like bright light, noise signals the body to stay alert. This type of stress triggers cortisol production, which raises blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

This change helps people survive short-term stressful situations, but when constantly triggered by daily stressors like continuous noise, it can lead to serious health issues. Chronically high cortisol levels have been associated with hypertension, heart disease, insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

A Cornell University study on workplace noise revealed that people working in loud environments are less likely to ergonomically adjust their workstations for comfort, which may contribute to physical problems. Constant exposure to noise can also affect sleep quality by disrupting circadian rhythms.

Poor health, of course, can be detrimental to employee performance, and it’s easy to imagine that many people don’t perform at their best in loud and distracting work environments.

Other used sources:

• Hongisto et al. (2016) – Study on how open-plan offices affect employee satisfaction and performance.

• The New Yorker (2014) – Overview of research showing that open-plan offices reduce productivity and creativity.

• University of California, Irvine – Research showing that the average office worker takes 25 minutes to refocus after an interruption.

• Cornell University – Noisy offices increase stress and reduce ergonomic adjustments, impacting well-being.

• Babisch (2003) – Noise exposure raises cortisol levels, which can lead to health issues.

• Stansfeld & Matheson (2003) – Chronic noise linked to hypertension, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.