How Noise is Undermining UK Workers’ Productivity

A new study of Oscar acousticsGreat Britain specialists in architectural acoustic finishes highlights a growing workplace in work: the excessive noise of the office undermines the productivity, the well-being of employees and the “big return to the office”.

Noise has become a major means of deterrence for employees who return to office work. The push to finish hybrid work is gaining momentum, with company giants like Amazon, Jpmorgan Chase and Barclays⁽¹⁾ Conduct the charge and set the tone for what some call “the comeback”. However, despite the efforts of employers to improve office environments, more than half (56%) of British office employees always describe their workplaces as noisy, and less than one in three believe that their environment fully supports their productivity.

The results, based on a survey of 2,000 professionals in the United Kingdom, reveal the impact of poor acoustic design on the satisfaction and productivity of employees:

• 36% of employees work at home to escape noise from the office.
• A third has changed its hours to find calm periods.
• 26% moved their office, while 1 in 5 report a conflict caused by noise -related tensions with colleagues.
• 47% find it difficult to concentrate, 36% feel irritated, 30% report stress and 7% -1 in 14 – depending on whether they suffered hearing damage after prolonged exposure.

The data also reflects a generational ditch: two employees out of three aged 25 to 34 say that they would leave if they were forced to return to full -time office work, while only 1 workers of the Z generation actively prefer office hours.

An ignored productivity problem
Despite the global emphasis on the well -being of the workplace, the percentage of employees who describe their office as noisy – of 59% in 2019 (Oscar Acoustics, Noisy Workspace, 2019) at 56% in 2025. The problems of productivity related to noise also aggravated: in 2023, 81% of employees declared that the noise increase in the increase of 41% in 202222.

To cope, employees are turning more and more towards noise blocking methods, including headphones, with a double use of 23% in 2022 to 41% in 2025. Although effective in the short term, this reduces collaboration and team cohesion, stifling opportunities for spontaneous learning and innovation, in particular for junior colleagues.

Rob Smith, director, TP Bennett, Described: “There must be more logic in the way the offices are designed, guaranteeing a transparent transition from the quieter areas to the vibrant and high energy areas. When people find themselves in these more busy environments, there should be easily accessible refuge spaces. This is where we can really take advantage of acoustics and lighting to create recovery that noise becomes overwhelming. “

Everything is in design
Acoustic problems continue to be overlooked in the design of offices despite the growing evidence of their impact. Only 29% of workers believe that their office acoustics meet their needs, the same number revealing that the implementation of acoustic solutions would improve their productivity. This is aligned with the reports of architects highlighting a lack of concentration on solid management in project memories.

Ben Hancock, Managing Director of Oscar Acoustics, Commented: “Productivity in the United Kingdom is already under examination, with the decline in the declines of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in the first quarter of 2025⁽²⁾ and EY revise GDP growth forecasts to 1%⁽³⁾. Employers, architects and developers cannot afford to treat acoustics as a reflection afterwards. Investing in healthy management is not only a question of employee well -being – it is a strategic priority for business success. »»

Derek Clements-Croome, professor emeritus at the University of Reading, said “The landscape changes.

Oscar Acoustics calls on companies to prioritize the acoustics of the workplace as part of their return to work strategy, which allows employees to thrive in environments designed both for productivity and collaboration.