The effect of sound environment on intellectual productivity in open-plan office—Study using subjective impression evaluation

Recently, open-plan offices have become increasingly popular because they facilitate communication and thereby improve intellectual productivity. In such offices, the sound environment has a impact on workers’ intellectual productivity. Our previous research confirmed that the effects of the sound environment vary according to the type of work and individual attributes. These findings suggest that, while the sound environment is linked to intellectual productivity, its effects are not uniform, and optimal conditions may differ depending on work type and personal characteristics. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to clarify the appropriate sound environment for enhancing workers’ intellectual productivity in line with individual attributes. Through on-site surveys, we collected data on sound environments and workers’ impressions, examine the relationship between intellectual productivity and impressions of the work environment, and consider the appropriate level of noise exposure for enhancing intellectual productivity. The results of the study suggest that a low-noise environment is suitable for individual workers, but for operation workers it is also important that the noise level is not too low. For multiple workers, an environment of 55 dB or less is appropriate from the perspective of conversational ease, and for team-building workers, an environment of 50 dB or less is recommended.