Impact of noise on self-rated job satisfaction and health in open-plan offices: a structural equation modelling approach

Abstract

This study uses a structural equation model to examine the effects of noise on self-rated job satisfaction and health in open-plan offices. A total of 334 employees from six open-plan offices in China and Korea completed a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire included questions assessing noise disturbances and speech privacy, as well as job satisfaction and health. The results indicated that noise disturbance affected self-rated health. Contrary to popular expectation, the relationship between noise disturbance and job satisfaction was not significant. Rather, job satisfaction and satisfaction with the environment were negatively correlated with lack of speech privacy. Speech privacy was found to be affected by noise sensitivity, and longer noise exposure led to decreased job satisfaction. There was also evidence that speech privacy was a stronger predictor of satisfaction with environment and job satisfaction for participants with high noise sensitivity.In addition, fit models for employees from China and Korea showed slight differences.Practitioner Summary: This study is motivated by strong evidence that noise is the key source of complaints in open-plan offices. Survey results indicate self-rated job satisfaction of workers in open-plan offices was negatively affected by lack of speech privacy and duration of disturbing noise.

Benefits of quiet workspaces in open-plan offices – Evidence from two office relocations

“…The problems experienced in open-plan offices have been widely documented in the literature (e.g., Bodin Danielsson & Bodin, 2008;De Croon, Sluiter, Kuijer & Frings-Dresen, 2005;Haapakangas, Helenius, Keskinen & Hongisto, 2008;Kim & de Dear, 2013;Lee, Lee, Jeon, Zhang & Kang, 2016;Pejtersen, Allermann, Kristensen & Poulsen, 2006). Open-plan offices are associated with various environmental complaints, particularly noise and lack of privacy (Bodin Danielsson & Bodin, 2009;Brookes & Kaplan, 1972;De Croon et al, 2005;Pejtersen et al, 2006).…”

“…The role of distractions in other problems has been explored in a few field studies. The studies examining structural equation or mediation models have linked distraction-related variables to job satisfaction (Veitch, Charles, Farley & Newsham, 2007), self-rated health (Lee et al, 2016) and emotional exhaustion (Herbig et al 2016;Laurence, Fried, & Slowik, 2013). However, all of these studies have been restricted to cross-sectional data.…”

Differences in Occupants’ Satisfaction and Perceived Productivity in High- and Low-Performance Offices

“…• Visual comfort, access to daylight, and view [19][20][21]; • Noise distraction, lack of privacy, and communication [22][23][24][25][26][27]; • Office design [28][29][30][31][32][33].…”

“…Hongisto et al [54] denoted that it is not the sound level of noise, but the intelligibility of irrelevant background noise that determines the distracting power of speech. In addition, Lee et al [25] found that some of the workers who have high noise-sensitivity could be adversely affected by open-plan office arrangement, due to loss of speech privacy.…”

Sustainable Workplace: The Moderating Role of Office Design on the Relationship between Psychological Empowerment and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour in Uzbekistan

“…The traditional view of research of the open-plan design held that this type of design would facilitate more interaction and collaboration between employees, thereby contributing to increased productivity and performance [6][7][8]. However, a recent trend of research has started associating open-plan office design with negative outcomes such as increased sick leave; higher levels of stress, distraction and disturbance; as well as reduced job satisfaction and performance [9][10][11][12][13]. The underlying argument among most of these studies has been the effects of noise and distraction.…”