Office Design and Productivity

Quieten down!

The first twenty years of my career were spent in the manufacturing industry where the topic of noise control was seldom far from the health & safety agenda. Companies I worked for spent fortunes on abating machine noise in the factory (and sometimes outside the boundary too). Part of my training had been spent studying those inevitable cutaway drawings of the inner ear, cochlea, etc, and we were taught how excessive sound levels will vibrate the hair cells of the cochlea until they become irreversibly damaged.

There was something else though...

One of my course lecturers mentioned some additional findings that I’ve pondered ever since. We were told that noise-induced hearing loss may not be the only consequence of excessive noise. Let me explain. We’ve all experienced that sudden heart-pounding surge of adrenaline in response to an unexpected loud noise. It’s the body’s fight-or-flight response kicking in. The theory goes, however that much softer sounds (e.g. background traffic) will keep triggering correspondingly lower rushes of adrenalin, since we evolved from hunter-gatherers who wouldn’t normally be exposed to continuous background noise. In the long run, constant stimulation of the heart by low levels of adrenaline can lead to: · Heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke · Anxiety · Depression · Digestive problems · Headaches · Muscle tension and pain · Sleep problems · Weight gain · Memory and concentration impairment

Beautiful offices?

Some of those noisy old factories, wharves, and workshops in post-industrial nations have been transformed into stunningly-designed, air-conditioned offices/call centres with “industrial chic” décor. That is to say bare brick walls, exposed ductwork, chrome fittings, stripped wooden floors, pendant light fittings, floor-to-ceiling glass – fully open plan of course. The interiors can look amazing, and the working conditions far more pleasant than the previous century’s... However, what about the ambient noise levels at peoples’ desks? The lack of absorbent materials means that sound takes longer to decay and just reverberates around. It seems as if my old lecturer was right, as a report by Oscar Acoustics found that employees returning to workplaces after the pandemic from their home-offices (where they probably had better control over ambient noise levels) are now finding noise intrusive and stressful. Waving a noise meter in the air to prove that your office is within statutory limits will not overcome the irritation of constant background hubbub. Oscar Acoustics noted that noise pollution is a huge contributor to poor productivity at work, and that poor office acoustics can lead to employees taking more sick days. As a good manager, walk the floor, see what you think, and ask employees how satisfied they are with their working environment.

Contact Us

Arinite clients worldwide appreciate we provide practical, no-nonsense advice about what you need to do to establish and maintain a safe and healthy working environment. Our team of health and safety consultants takes pride in keeping health and safety simple. If you need to call upon our expert assistance, or just for an informal chat, please call our office on 0207 947 9581, or contact us here. Jan Mirkowski