Acoustic comfort in open-plan offices: the role of employee characteristics

Influence of partition layouts on speech privacy in open-plan offices

Different partition layouts were compared to determine how to increase speech privacy while maintaining communication efficiency between workers in an open-plan office. A preliminary survey was used to determine current usage and conditions of partitions in open-plan offices. The survey results were used to select four partition layouts for testing: face-to-face, parallel, crossed-rod, and orthogonal. A computer modeling was used to test the partition layouts at three different partition heights: 1.2, 1.5, and 1.8 m. The modeling results showed that the parallel- and crossed-rod-type layouts offered the best speech privacy at the lowest partition height, but the differences among layouts disappeared as the partition height was increased. Furthermore, an acoustic field experiment was performed using partitions with a 1.5 m height following the ISO 3382-3 standard. The experimental results showed that the face-to-face layout resulted in the least speech privacy. Based on these results, an open-plan office needs to ensure that workers are spaced a sufficient distance apart and that they do not face each other to ensure speech privacy. Additionally, speech privacy should be considered in the design stage of the office space.

The business case for a healthy office; a holistic overview of relations between office workspace design and mental health

The role of the physical workspace in employee mental health is often overlooked. As a (mentally) healthy workforce is vital for an organisation's success, it is important to optimise office workspace conditions. Previous studies on the effects of the physical workspace on mental health tended to focus on the effects of a specific element of the physical workspace on one or only a few mental health indicators. This study takes a more holistic approach by addressing the relationship of physical workspace characteristics with ten broad indicators of work-related mental health. Results of a systematic review of empirical evidence show that many aspects of (day)light, office layout/design, and temperature and thermal comfort have been proven to be related to many mental health indicators. Less tacit workspace characteristics (e.g., noise, use of colours) have been explored too, but so far have only been related to a few mental health indicators.Practitioner summary: The absence of holistic insights regarding the empirical proof of the effects of workspace design on employee mental health prevents a clear business case for workplace investments. This paper presents a content analysis of existing studies and shows how seven elements of workspace design relate to 10 mental health indicators.

The influence of distractions of the home-work environment on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Previous research showed that office workers are mainly distracted by noise, influencing their mental health. Little investigation has been done into the influence of other workspace characteristics (i.e. temperature, amount of space, visual privacy, adjustability of furniture, wall colours, and workspace cleanliness) on distractions at the office, and even fewer while working from home (WFH). The influence of home-workspace distractions on mental health also received limited attention. This research aims to investigate relationships between home-workspace and personal characteristics, distraction, and mental health while WFH during COVID-19. A path analysis approach was used, to find that, at home, employees were distracted by noise and when having a small desk. Those with a dedicated workroom were less distracted. Distractions mediated most relationships between home-workspace characteristics and mental health, while personal characteristics influenced mental health directly. Employers can use these results to redesign policies regarding home-and-office working to stimulate a healthy work environment.Practitioner summary: The investigation of the influence of home-workspace characteristics on distractions and mental health while WFH during COVID-19 appears to be limited. This research filled this gap by performing a path analysis, using a holistic definition of mental health. Findings showed that distractions mediate relationships between home-workspace characteristics and mental health.