- Eight in ten office workers report being regularly distracted by office noise

- Noise distraction can cut productivity by up to 66%

New research fromAvanta Serviced Office Group has revealed that noise in the office environment is severely damaging the productivity of London businesses. Chatty co-workers, crunching crisps and slamming doors are familiar irritations in the workplace, but this research shows that rather than something to be ignored, these everyday distractions have a significant impact on productivity and staff motivation.

The findings underscore the relationship between the working environment and business productivity, at a time when the new 'Avanta Sound Room' is being trialled in Avanta's Warwick Street, Covent Garden, Devonshire Square and Hammersmith offices. The Avanta Sound Room is a working environment designed with the effect of ambient sound in mind, and has been created with world leading experts in the field of sound in the built environment, Julian Treasure and Chris Adair. It is the latest in a series of multi-sensory explorations into the effect of the ambient environment on office behaviour and productivity.

The research polled 1,000 office workers across the UK.

Key findings.

-- 82.5% of respondents report regularly being distracted by noise, nearly half (47.5%) of reassuringly stoic Brits choose to suffer in silence.

-- The impact of noise is particularly significant in open plan offices, impacting seven out of ten office workers in the country

- -  31% of workers have been driven out of the office due to excessive noise: either working from home or going to a local café or library.

- - Seasonal illnesses have a double whammy effect on productivity: nearly one in three (27%) of respondents are driven up the wall by coughing, sniffing and sneezing.

Julian Treasure , Chairman of The Sound Agency , is a globally renowned expert in how sound affects human beings; his five TED talks on sound have been viewed more than 20 million times on the Internet. He said, "The sound around us has a powerful effect on our psycho-physiological state, as well as on our cognitive ability and our social behaviour." He continued, "Intelligent sound design can help improve concentration, reduce fatigue and stress, and consequently create more productive working environments."

Treasure advises that "Noisy workspaces may need damping down to the ideal level of 45-55 dB, while very quiet spaces may need masking sound to create some privacy and reduce distraction when colleagues take calls or converse. Masking sounds are typically low density, requiring little attention, and pleasing to work in. Examples could be birdsong or gentle flowing water."

Chris Adair, Managing Director ofAdair Acoustic Design , specialises in providing architectural and design solutions to tune sound. Chris emphasises how the physical elements of the office can create a more productive space: "The effect of simple technology like sound absorbing panels, or even altering the orientation of a room, can turn an unworkable space into somewhere fit for function. By considering sound as an integral part of the workplace and taking some simple steps to mitigate the issues related to open plan working, employers will create a more motivated and productive workforce".

Geraint Evans, Avanta Sales and Marketing Director, said: "We are always looking for new ways to help our community of growing businesses succeed - we call it 'beyond four walls.'  We're really excited to hear what the response to the Sound Room from our clients, particularly after the great success of previous projects the Avanta Aroma and the Avanta Light Room - which is now being re-introduced at the request of our customers."

Julian Treasure and Chris Adair have collaborated with Avanta to install 'Sound Rooms' at four central London locations throughout January and February, to demonstrate the power and effectiveness of designing working environments with the impact of sound in mind. These rooms are free to use for all clients, and are the latest in a sequence of multi-sensory working experiences from Avanta which previously displayed their commitment to going 'beyond four walls' withAvanta Aroma and theLight Room .

Appendix:

The UK's most irritating office noises

Irritant

Affected %

Conversations/ gossip

41.60%

Loud phone voices

33.30%

Coughing/ sneezing/ sniffing

27.80%

Ringing phone

23.10%

Loud snacking (crisp packets, etc.)

17.60%

Whistling

17.10%

Rhythmic tapping on the desk/ floor

14.70%

Slamming doors

14.20%

Bad music on the radio

13.70%

Music spilling out of colleagues headphones

13.50%

Loud typing

12.30%

Watching videos on computer without headphones

11.10%

Road noise/ sirens

10.50%

Colleagues speaking to themselves

9.90%

Vibrating mobile phones

7.90%

Air conditioning units

7.60%

Whirring computers

5.20%

Other

4.30%

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