New research has found that almost half of knowledge workers get stressed by offices being too loud and can’t focus on being productive.

A study from Jabra assessed the role audio plays on workers’ cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being in office environments. The vendor purported that Return to Office (RTO) mandates can produce unintended consequences if not managed sensitively. Perhaps the most eye-catching figure was that 47 percent of workers found office environments too noisy to allow them to focus on being properly productive.

Additionally, roughly three-quarters of employees report that noisy workplaces contribute to mental exhaustion and diminish focus (74 percent). As such, Jabra suggests executives advocating for a return to the office must consider the importance of creating environments and providing technologies that bolster the productivity of their workforce.

“The way of work is constantly evolving, and with offices pushing for a hybrid working model, knowledge workers today are struggling with the ability to focus in the workplace,” said Josh Blalock, Chief Video Evangelist at Jabra.

The office is filled with distractions, and unwanted and disruptive noise can have a significant impact on employees’ mental wellbeing and productivity. Leaders requesting a return to office need to invest in creating an office space that caters to all working styles, in addition to investing in high-quality technology to ensure knowledge workers can bring their best selves to work.”

Jabra hired TEAM LEWIS Research to survey 2,000 knowledge workers aged 18 to 65 in four countries for the study: the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France.

Other Compelling Findings

The post-pandemic shift back to office settings has been pitched as a remedy for employee burnout and isolation. However, Jabra says its research highlights the promise of an ideal workplace culture through hybrid work structures is insufficient. Investments in technology are also critical.

Although 90 percent of knowledge workers believe that completing tasks, maintaining focus, and preserving mental well-being is equally important, the necessary enhancements to workspaces for a successful office return are not being adequately emphasised.

Audio’s role in reducing workplace distractions is significant. 37 percent of knowledge workers say productivity is hampered when colleagues take calls at their desks without headphones. Similarly, 39 percent find it challenging to lead or participate in calls when their coworkers are in meetings at their desks without headphones. To minimise noise and distractions, more than half (59 percent) report the expectation to take calls in a separate room, and 69 percent use professional headphones.

Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed agree that a noisy work environment contributes to physical fatigue (63 percent) and hinders their enthusiasm for their work (63 percent).

Meanwhile, 74 percent of respondents affirmed that clear and high-quality sound improves focus on tasks and projects while saying employers have a responsibility to address audio issues in various ways to enhance office culture. For example, providing noise-cancelling headphones as part of the standard equipment (37 percent) and offering more frequent WFH opportunities (37 percent). Additionally, nearly a third (32 percent) suggest creating productivity areas, such as quiet or collaborative zones.

Jabra leverages these findings to argue that leaders must ensure the provision of appropriate technology and an environment conducive to focus for employees returning to the office, averting a decline in productivity.

What Other Future Of Work Studies Have Been Published This Year?

Last month, Hybrid analytics organisation Vyopta found a link between higher camera enablement in hybrid meetings and higher worker retention.

In its study on RTO mandates on office space trends, perhaps Vyopta’s most eye-catching stat was the strong correlation between camera usage and employee retention. Employees in the attrition group who left the organisation within a year of the study enabled their cameras in only 18.4 percent of small group meetings. In contrast, the retention group, employees who stayed with the company, used their cameras in 32.5 percent of their meetings.

In April, an Owl Labs study found that almost two-thirds of hybrid workers (61 percent) have felt pressured by a cyclical RTO mandate during specific periods of the year.

Owl Labs found that employers are increasingly pushing for on-site work during the fall and winter months, aligning with the back-to-school season. September has emerged as the peak month for RTO campaigns, impacting 17 percent of hybrid workers. Similarly, the New Year marks another significant period for RTO, with 13 percent of hybrid workers facing increased pressure to return to the office in January.



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