Peer-reviewed research
Office noise and employee concentration: identifying causes of disruption and potential improvements
Simon P. Banbury and Dylan C. Berry, Ergonomics, 2005 · DOI 10.1080/00140130412331311390
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- A field study that asked 88 employees at two sites how various office sounds distracted them, and how much they were exposed to those sounds. It looked for evidence that workers get used to office noise.
- How much weight it carries
- Peer-reviewed and often cited. The sample is small (88 employees at two sites) and the data are self-reported, and the study is about 20 years old. Its findings describe perceived distraction, not measured performance.
Facts taken from this source
- In Banbury and Berry's 2005 field study, 99 percent of the employees surveyed said their concentration was impaired by components of office noise, especially ringing phones and background conversation.
“Out of the sample, 99% reported that their concentration was impaired by various components of office noise, especially telephones left ringing at vacant desks and people talking in the background.” (Abstract)
- Banbury and Berry found no evidence that employees habituate to the office sounds they were asked about, so the distraction did not fade with exposure.
“No evidence for habituation to these sounds was found.” (Abstract)