"Noisy"... Office Workers Returning to Work Complain of Noise Distress

Uncomfortable Even Sharing a Desk with Colleagues... Need to Redesign Office Layout

Office workers who need to pay attention to hygiene even after returning to the office (Photo by Getty Images)

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Jinsoo Lee] A survey conducted in the UK revealed that the biggest complaint among office workers returning to the office after more than a year of working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic is noise issues.

The UK's Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) asked 2,000 adults who returned to the office after working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and found that many workers struggled to adapt to noise and equipment such as video conferencing facilities.

Only 26% of office workers returning to the office reported experiencing no problems.

The survey results showed that workers in Scotland are the most reluctant to return to the office in the UK. Half of the respondents believed they were more productive working from home. This was especially prominent among younger workers.

Linda Housemanis, Director of IWFM, said, "We have now reached a turning point," explaining, "For many workers, returning to the office is a very disappointing and frustrating experience." She added, "Therefore, employers must invest in improving the workplace environment to reflect the new reality of work, or productivity will sharply decline." This means it is time to consider new physical spaces, work culture, and technology utilization.

The survey also revealed that one in three office workers returning to the office felt uncomfortable even sharing a desk with colleagues. Half of the respondents believed that the office layout needs to be changed.

The survey results were posted on the IWFM website on the 6th (local time).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.