1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. Context & attitude effects•

6. 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 •

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

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

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

10. Coping mechanisms •

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

12. Introverts v extrovertsNS NS
Note lower score indicates better •

13. Arousal theory
Extrovert
Introvert
Performance
Arousal

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

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

16. 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 •

17. People-centred approach
Displace
Avoid
Reduce
Educate
DARE •

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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
Yvette Tietema
Ecophon Saint-Gobain
@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.