Why Your Office Is Slowly Killing You — And What To Do About It

Published July 26, 2016
Updated July 27, 2016

The Layout

Open Floorplan

K2 Space/Flickr

Open concept work spaces seem to have overtaken the idea of a “private office,” offering employees a chance to interact more easily with one another — and share germs.

An Ergonomics Journal study confirms what you might already expect: Germs travel more easily in confined spaces.

When you add more people to said confined space, the likelihood of sharing these germs grows. Indeed, the study found that those who shared a workspace with for other employees or more took more sick leave than those who did not.

If it’s not the germs that get you, it could be the stress. An open office layout has been shown to elicit feelings of helplessness and loss of control over your environment. This Journal of Environmental Psychology study found that an inability to control certain factors in the office — like how things look, the temperature, the lighting, or even how to conduct meetings — caused morale to fall and stress to creep in.

While people say they feel trapped or isolated in cubicles, they do offer privacy — which has been University of Tennessee researchers have shown increases job performance. The open office might look trendy, but perhaps it’s time to focus on making cubicles cool again.

What can be done? Some furniture makers are now applying anti-germ technology to furnishings made for open office layouts.

For instance, the company Steelcase uses silver ion on frequently touched desk surfaces, such as adjustment levers. Silver ion is shown to kill some bacteria, making it potentially useful in reducing a given virus’ spread.

Short of redecorating, this is where hygiene comes into play yet again; hand-washing and using EPA-approved disinfectants are the best way to gain an upper hand against sickness.

Noise

Loud Noise

STML/Flickr

Noise poses a problem in most offices – especially the open concept ones. A Noise & Health study has shown that excessive commotion impairs our memory and our math skills, and decreases our mental acuity.

And if you think listening to music or the radio helps cover the droning noise of office chit chat or machinery, think again – it just adds to the mix, further impairing mental sharpness.

Noisy offices can also affect you on a purely physiological level. A Cornell University study found that after only three hours in an open office, adrenaline (or epinephrine) rose in its occupants, causing a drop in both creativity and motivation.

A UCLA Health Impact Assessment adds that if the office is really noisy, it can cause hearing loss, high blood pressure, sleep disruption, and even harm your cardiovascular system.

The Center for Hearing and Communication warns that any noise over 85 decibels can cause hearing loss over time. For comparison’s sake, the dull roar of a large office is 50 decibels; commuting via subway puts you in a station that likely measures 90-115 decibels — even a coffee grinder emits 70-80 decibels of noise. All these things add up during the day and can have a detrimental impact on your health.

What can be done? Using sound-absorbing materials such as deflectors or sound barriers will cut down on the noise that reaches your ears.

If you’re unlucky enough to sit next to a loud co-worker or obnoxious printer – speak up! Maybe your boss can move you to a different area. If all else fails wear a pair of over-the-ear, sound blocking headphones when appropriate.

Don’t let sick building syndrome make your work life miserable.


Next, learn if your boss is a psychopath and read more about recent news on why your office is slowly killing you.

author
Erin Kelly
author
An All That's Interesting writer since 2013, Erin Kelly focuses on historic places, natural wonders, environmental issues, and the world of science. Her work has also been featured in Smithsonian and she's designed several book covers in her career as a graphic artist.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.