Widening the Net on Workplace Well-being: How to Safeguard Employees Against Disruptive Office Noise 

By Dorthe Krogh Jensen

Dorthe Krogh Jensen, VP of Global Marketing at EPOS, explains why leaders need to tackle workplace noise that affects employee health, well-being, and productivity, and recommends communication technologies that improve cognitive performance, and reduce stress levels. 

What does your company do to promote its people’s wellbeing?  

Does it subsidize dental insurance? Are there initiatives in place to help employees balance their workloads?  Maybe you have on-site fitness facilities? Or perhaps you simply have a fruit bowl.  

Now more than ever, employee well-being is top of mind for businesses. And rightly so. In an increasingly competitive labour market leaders should be doing all they can to make sure their people are happy and healthy.   

But despite a recent surge of focus in workplace wellness, there’s one aspect that is often neglected and that is the impact of workplace noise on our health, well-being, and productivity. Despite its lesser-known adverse effects, if we’re to think holistically and thoroughly about workplace well-being it’s crucial to pause and reflect on how noise affects individuals and businesses alike.   

So where to start? And what leaders can do to address this insidious challenge? 

The cost of miscommunication 

Imagine presenting a crucial update to a client but building work next door keeps interrupting your flow. Or maybe you’re hosting a brainstorming session, but the loud chatter from colleagues drowns out your team’s ideas. 

Wherever you work from – home, the office, a shared workspace, or even a café – poor audio quality and loud noise act as common barriers to effective communication. These disruptions pull focus away from the task, or conversation, at hand, undermining productivity.   

For instance, I’m sure we’ve all experienced the irritation of asking someone to repeat themselves multiple times on a call. This leads to wasted time and the potential for missed information. Not only is this frustrating, but these issues can also result in errors and even financial losses for businesses. 

Minimize noise-induced stress and worry 

Not only is it important for the efficiency of the call that people can hear each other clearly, but the quality of sound can impact the way individuals feel.  

Worryingly, 17% of workers believe they appear unprofessional because of poor sound experiences. This can erode individuals’ confidence and exacerbate feelings of frustration. Plus, in situations where a professional appearance is integral – for example in calls with important customers or key stakeholders – the quality of the conversation is vital.   

Office noise can also directly increase levels of stress. Research from the University of Cambridge shows that even moderate noise in open-plan offices can increase psychological stress levels by 34%, (such as an increased heart-rate). Stress doesn’t just cause distress and low moods; it also hinders concentration and prevents individuals from performing at their peak. 

The solution? Leaders should invest in communication technologies that empower uninterrupted, seamless conversations and block out unwanted background noise. The result? A more productive, stress-free environment that helps employees feel and perform their best.  

Cognitive support  

Unfortunately, the psychological effects of office noise don’t stop there. Poor audio and workplace sound can also cause significant cognitive strain.     

In essence this is because, when faced with subpar audio environments our brains are forced to work overtime to interpret information and focus on the sounds we do want to hear. Studies have shown this can be up to 35% more effort in noisy environments.  

The long-term effects of this strain? Cognitive overload and brain fatigue. This in turn can lead to employees experiencing feelings of weariness, tiredness, and can even impact overall morale.   

Active Noise Cancellation technologies – which help block background noise – are the natural first step in helping to nip this issue in the bud. But for enhanced benefits, leaders should consider solutions that not only compliment but support the way the brain processes sounds. Solutions like,  

EPOS BrainAdapt™, which is a set of pioneering technologies that help reduce listening effort in noisy environments by 35%, improve word recognition by 20%, and enhance information recall by 10%. 

Protect hearing 

Ever been on a call where someone joins from a bustling street, and suddenly sirens blare in the background, making your heart leap and conversation come to a standstill? Even if your headset is equipped with handy inline controls – the damage has already been done, with your ears already ringing. 

Unexpected loud noises not only disrupt communication but can also damage your hearing. That’s why it’s vital for employers to anticipate these situations and invest in technology with built-in safeguards. For example, the EPOS IMPACT 1000 headset series includes EPOS hearing protection, which prevents sudden noise spikes and supports noise-at-work compliance. 

Leaders have a responsibility to create environments that promote productivity and support employee well-being. While prioritizing employee health is a positive trend shaping the future of work, the impact of poor audio and office noise pollution requires more attention. Investing in technologies to reduce noise pollution can protect hearing, enhance cognitive performance, and lower stress levels.

About the Author 

Dorthe Krogh Jensen is VP, Global Marketing at EPOS, and part of senior management. She has 18+ years of experience as a commercial marketer, spanning marketing agencies to global corporations. She’s passionate about business transformation, brand positioning, and customer behavior, excelling at transforming strategy into execution to build enduring brands and grow tomorrow’s sales.