Noise Pollution Affects Employee Productivity | Glaze & Save
For some,
noise pollution may be little more than a trivial annoyance. However, for the
astute business owner, noise pollution can be a serious source of employee ill
health, both physical and mental, as well as a real productivity killer.
Noise pollution occurs when there is an unwanted or disturbing sound that interferes with normal activities or diminishes quality of life.
The 2011 World Health Organisation report “Burden of Disease from environmental noise” looks at the relationship between environmental noise and health. The calculated that the financial cost of lost work days, healthcare treatment, impaired learning and decreased productivity came to $30.8 billion a year in Europe alone. How much is noise pollution costing your business?
Here are six ways in which noise pollution could affect your employee’s health, productivity and wellbeing in the office:
1. Disruptions from ambient office noise
Ringing telephones, loud co-workers and the hum of general office life can cause frequent minor disruptions which can amount to a significant loss in man hours.
2. Increased Blood Pressure
Constant interruptions from sources of noise have been shown to cause long term health risks that you might not otherwise associate with noise. The University of Michigan’s Occupational Health Nursing Programme conducted a study which found that chronic noise in the workplace can cause increased blood pressure and even heart disease.
3. Mental health problems
Perhaps unsurprisingly, dealing with incessant noise pollution can take a toll on your employees’ mental health. Excessive or repetitive noises can cause moodiness, anxiety and even depression in workers.
4. Increased workplace accidents
Excessive noise can cause workplace accidents and injuries in a variety of different ways. For example, workers may not hear warning signals, or may not be able to think clearly due to the noise of their environment. This is particularly true of industries such as construction.
5. Hearing Loss
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that one of the foremost occupational concerns is hearing loss caused by excessive noise in the working environment. A vast proportion of this hearing loss is preventable through ensuring safety measures such as wearing earplugs or reducing noise volume are adhered to.
6. Increased Errors
The likelihood of mistakes and general error is vastly increased in a noisy environment and can be a material issue in causing staff burnout. Consistent distracting noises and high levels of burnout can also lead to high blood pressure and stress.
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