TO BE SEEN BUT NOT HEARD
by Sean Coward, Researcher/Consultant

Article at a glance

Despite well-documented complaints regarding the acoustic conditions in open plan offices, business leaders continue to overlook occupant concerns owing to the collaborative benefits associated with this design. This article highlights the circumstances under which job performance is most likely to be affected by task-irrelevant sound, and offers recommendations for improving the acoustic environment in open plan offices. A case study demonstrates how the acoustic analysis of an existing workplace can serve to benchmark current performance, identify problem areas, and offer potential solutions.

Download the full research article.