Office noise significantly reducing employee concentration, productivity, and creativity

Workplace distraction is making it difficult for employees to get their work done, according to a new report released by commercial flooring company Interface.

Noise negatively impacts a majority (69%) of global employees’ concentration levels, productivity, and creativity. The finding comes from a survey of more than 2,000 adult workers in the U.S., U.K., and Australia by Radius Global Market Research.

For about half of the respondents, noise levels in an office would impact their decision to accept a job. Some 16% of those surveyed choose to work remotely due to unsolved noise problems. Top distractions include conversations among employees, phone conversations, phones ringing, and people walking around.

Open work environments seem to be part of the problem. Nearly one-third (32%) of employees surveyed report working at an assigned desk or workstation in an open environment. Only 31% of all respondents indicate that employers provide private spaces for phone calls or conversations.

“The best designs are those rooted in solutions specific to company culture, environmental aspirations, and respect for individual user choice,” says Chip DeGrace, vice president of workplace applications, Interface.