People-centred offices: A psychological approach to resolving office noise distraction Dr Nigel Oseland Workplace unlimited Yvette Tietema EcophonSaint-Gobain 24th Annual ERES Conference – © Ecophon 2017

Office noise is a problem Desk Mail % Satisfaction Toilets Air Quality Noise Choice Temperature Quiet Art % Importance 53% of respondents say workplace enables them to work productively

Evidence based approach Literature Review develop hypotheses Tool Development apply hypotheses On-line Survey verify hypotheses Intervention Study test tool >150 research papers >500 survey responses

What is noise? “Noise is unwanted sound” Sound level = 25% noise •

Context & attitude effects •

What is psychoacoustics? “Psychoacoustics is the scientific study of the psychological and physiological responses associated with sound” Study of how people perceive, interpret and react to sound •

Factors affecting noise We studied: Control & coping mechanisms Personality type Work activity Place of work Acoustic design features Individual factors e.g. age •

Survey response scales Our survey included: Performance Speech interference Concentration Distraction Stress Wellbeing •

Noise affects performance Mean effect of noise = -5.1% •

Coping mechanisms •

OCEAN – Big 5 personality inventory • John & Srivastava (1999) The Big Five trait taxonomy. Handbook of Personality: Theory and Research. Guilford Press.

Introverts v extroverts NS NS Note lower score indicates better •

Arousal theory Extrovert Introvert Performance Arousal

   Task & personality Introvert Simple Complex Extrovert Quiet Noisy Introvert Simple   Complex  Extrovert •

Neurotic v stable  Conscientious ? Agreeableness  Openness Note lower score indicates better NS •

Contributing variables Multiple regression analysis Personality type + Perceived control + Work activity + Place of work + Design features + Individual factors = 41% PSYCHOLOGICAL + 25% SOUND LEVEL = 66% variance •

People-centred approach Displace Avoid Reduce Educate DARE •

Activity based acoustic design methodolgy Evaluation Solutions Acoustic/Physical Environment 1. Acoustic Layer Sound Treatment Roles & Work Activity 2. Activity Layer Specific Work Settings Personality Profiles 3. Zoning Layer Layout & Team Zoning Individual & Team Factors 4. Behavioural Layer Education & Etiquette • This workshop will go in depth on the Psychoacoustic Approach of Resolving Office Noise. • A walkthrough of a new tool developed to design for People, where we will go through; the Evaluation, Advice and Solutions. • Ecophon international team of experts in the field of Office Acoustic will guide you through the workshop. Key Takeaways Delegates will gain deeper understanding of what could be done connecting the People, the Activity and the Space from a design and management perspective.

Zoning layer Team A Team B O C E A N O C E A N • This workshop will go in depth on the Psychoacoustic Approach of Resolving Office Noise. • A walkthrough of a new tool developed to design for People, where we will go through; the Evaluation, Advice and Solutions. • Ecophon international team of experts in the field of Office Acoustic will guide you through the workshop. Key Takeaways Delegates will gain deeper understanding of what could be done connecting the People, the Activity and the Space from a design and management perspective.

Activity layer Calming Stimulating Zone Zone Private Teleconf Call Meetings Team Lunch Teleconf Coffee/ Cafe Brainstorm Informal Meeting Focus & Concentrate Quiet Lunch Private Call Breakout Walkabout Formal Meeting Calming Zone Stimulating Zone • This workshop will go in depth on the Psychoacoustic Approach of Resolving Office Noise. • A walkthrough of a new tool developed to design for People, where we will go through; the Evaluation, Advice and Solutions. • Ecophon international team of experts in the field of Office Acoustic will guide you through the workshop. Key Takeaways Delegates will gain deeper understanding of what could be done connecting the People, the Activity and the Space from a design and management perspective.

Acoustic layer – before • This workshop will go in depth on the Psychoacoustic Approach of Resolving Office Noise. • A walkthrough of a new tool developed to design for People, where we will go through; the Evaluation, Advice and Solutions. • Ecophon international team of experts in the field of Office Acoustic will guide you through the workshop. Key Takeaways Delegates will gain deeper understanding of what could be done connecting the People, the Activity and the Space from a design and management perspective.

Acoustic layer – after • This workshop will go in depth on the Psychoacoustic Approach of Resolving Office Noise. • A walkthrough of a new tool developed to design for People, where we will go through; the Evaluation, Advice and Solutions. • Ecophon international team of experts in the field of Office Acoustic will guide you through the workshop. Key Takeaways Delegates will gain deeper understanding of what could be done connecting the People, the Activity and the Space from a design and management perspective.

Thank you Nigel Oseland Yvette Tietema Workplace unlimited People-centred offices A psychological approach to resolving office noise distraction Design Guidance on eliminating office noise: A psychoacoustic approach Nigel Oseland Workplace unlimited oseland@workplaceunlimited.com @oseland Yvette Tietema Ecophon Saint-Gobain Yvette.Tietema@ecophon.nl @yvettetietema • This workshop will go in depth on the Psychoacoustic Approach of Resolving Office Noise. • A walkthrough of a new tool developed to design for People, where we will go through; the Evaluation, Advice and Solutions. • Ecophon international team of experts in the field of Office Acoustic will guide you through the workshop. Key Takeaways Delegates will gain deeper understanding of what could be done connecting the People, the Activity and the Space from a design and management perspective.