An increase of 10 dB noise in the workplace reduces productivity by 5%

This is because environmental noise has a significant and negative impact on cognitive tasks that require concentration. Noise pollution leads to increased mental load, making it more difficult for employees to concentrate and causing errors to occur more quickly. This effect is particularly noticeable in tasks that require a longer duration and a high level of accuracy, such as problem solving or complex calculations.

Additionally, research shows that noise pollution does not directly affect the effort of employees, but it does affect their ability to think clearly. This means that employees may not be aware of the negative impact of noise on their performance, as they are still putting in the same amount of effort. However, the quality of their work suffers, resulting in lower productivity.

Jeroen Sangers @jeroensangers