Level-adaptive sound masking in the open-plan office:how does it influence noise distraction, coping, and mental health?

In the open-plan office, intelligible speech is a major distractor, reducing cognitive performance. Sound masking emits an electronic broadband sound to increase the background sound level in a controlled manner. To date, most studies on sound masking are short-term laboratory studies that do not consider aspects of mental health. The current study aims to evaluate, using a longitudinal field study with intervention (N=42) and control (N=41) floors at two organizations, whether leveladaptive sound masking could reduce intelligible speech and increase mental health, while being exposed to level-adaptive sound masking for two to three months. The study consists of two subjective measurements, prior- and post-intervention, using survey questions on coping strategies, noise distraction, and ten mental health indicators (short-and long-term consequences). The increase in background noise level (at company 1 from 28.7dB(A) to 41.9dB(A) and at company 2 from 32.4dB(A) to42.6dB(A)) at both organizations significantly reduced intelligible speech distraction. Short-term mental health aspects were rated more positively, and level-adaptive sound masking also reduced the frequency with which people put on radio or headphones to cope with noise

How physical home workspace characteristics affect mental health:A systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND:During the 1990s, voluntary teleworking became more grounded, because of expected advantages as increased productivity and comfort. However, COVID-19 obliged employees to work from home (WFH), even in unsuitable houses, which might have reduced their mental health. A holistic overview of methods and measures of the physical home-workspace characteristics and mental health is currently lacking. Insights in the potential influence of the physical home-workspace on mental health are also not yet holistically examined.OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study is to provide insights in previously studied relationships between the physical home-workspace and mental health and to identify measures for both using a systematic scoping review.METHODS:This study used the PRISMA method to systematically review existing literature.RESULTS:Most studies focussed on noise, acoustics, and privacy, in relation to productivity, concentration, and sleep quality. Only a few studies used objective measures for physical home-workspace characteristics.CONCLUSION:The list of relevant measures can be used by academics to examine relationships between the home-workspace and mental health further. Workplace managers can use it to help employees in optimizing their home-workspace

The business case for a healthy office; a holistic overview of relations between office workspace design and mental health

The role of the physical workspace in employee mental health is often overlooked. As a (mentally) healthy workforce is vital for an organization’s success, it is important to optimize office workspace conditions. Previous studies on the effects of the physical workspace on mental health tended to focus on the effects of a specific element of the physical workspace on one or only a few mental health indicators. This study takes a more holistic approach by addressing the relationship of physical workspace characteristics with ten broad indicators of work-related mental health. Results of a systematic review of empirical evidence show that many aspects of (day)light, office layout/design, and temperature and thermal comfort have been proven to be related to many mental health indicators. Less tacit workspace characteristics (e.g., noise, use of colors) have been explored too, but so far have only been related to few mental health indicators

The physical office workplace as a resource for mental health – A systematic scoping review

Previous studies indicated a potential influence of physical workplace characteristics (e.g. light, noise, air quality) on employees' mental health (e.g. stress, fatigue, or mood). Until recently, most workplace-context research had a pathogenic instead of a salutogenic orientation. In this systematic scoping review (PRISMA) ten indicators of mental health are taken as a starting point, including both mental well-being and -illness. This provides a more holistic exploration of methods, measures, and employee-workplace theories that explain how physical workplace resources promote employees’ mental health. The directions of these relationships are also observed. Results show that some workplace characteristics are studied with many validated measures, while others appear less diverse or so far lack approaches with objective measures. Results show that some indicators of mental health (e.g. concentration, and stress) have frequently been related to indoor environmental quality (IEQ) (e.g. light and daylight), while others (e.g. burnout, engagement, and depression) have received less attention in relation to the physical workplace (especially to biophilia, views, look and feel). This review identifies important avenues for future research, potential objective and subjective measures for employee mental health in relation to the office workplace and calls for a more holistic approach to mental health at work

The influence of distractions of the home-work environment on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Previous research showed that office workers are mainly distracted by noise, influencing their mental health. Little investigation has been done into the influence of other workspace characteristics (i.e. temperature, amount of space, visual privacy, adjustability of furniture, wall colours, and workspace cleanliness) on distractions at the office, and even fewer while working from home (WFH). The influence of home-workspace distractions on mental health also received limited attention. This research aims to investigate relationships between home-workspace and personal characteristics, distraction, and mental health while WFH during COVID-19. A path analysis approach was used, to find that, at home, employees were distracted by noise and when having a small desk. Those with a dedicated workroom were less distracted. Distractions mediated most relationships between home-workspace characteristics and mental health, while personal characteristics influenced mental health directly. Employers can use these results to redesign policies regarding home-and-office working to stimulate a healthy work environment. Practitioner summary: The investigation of the influence of home-workspace characteristics on distractions and mental health while WFH during COVID-19 appears to be limited. This research filled this gap by performing a path analysis, using a holistic definition of mental health. Findings showed that distractions mediate relationships between home-workspace characteristics and mental health