Sound at Work: Research Studies on Office Acoustics

When office noise levels do not align with preferences and expectations, negative moods can result and stress can build. Both negative moods and stress have been tied to degraded professional performance and interactions with others. Although professional acousticians are regularly hired to optimize the soundscapes of office workplaces, this resource is for interior designers to keep up with relevant research studies to apply in their broader practices. At-work sound-related experiences are often a hot topic for discussion, particularly among office users who are a little—or a lot—“concerned” about this aspect of workplace design.