Performance loss in open-plan offices due to noise by speech

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show how the performance of the personnel can be negatively affected by conversations, adjacent to the working space, in an open-plan office environment. Design/methodology/approach – Using two scientific mathematical models it is possible to quantify the performance losses, as a result of adjacent conversations, with various desk layouts in an open-plan office. Findings – The results obtained from the underlying Finnish study can be improved by applying a regression analysis to the recorded research results. The modified deviation formula not only corresponds more closely to the research results, but also produces a better translation of the speech intelligibility index to the intelligibility qualifications, as shown in the guideline NPR 3438. Originality/value – It is reasonable to conclude that performance loss, as a result of a poor acoustic situation, can be related to the speech intelligibility in a space. The relationship between the speech intelligibility index and performance loss makes it possible to design on the basis of productivity improvement, resulting in a comfortable acoustic working environment and a consistent financial advantage for the organisation.