Environmental impact on workplace performance

Since 1998, Orfield Laboratories has led research efforts into the effects of the office environment on worker performance through the Open Plan Working Group. This collaboration of researchers, designers, and facility managers works with OPWG in gathering environmental data (including noise, lighting, and thermal measurements) and subjective occupant ranking data. The OPWG then employs statistical analysis to correlate the environmental measurements, occupant performance, and occupant preference measurements. Through efficient measurement stations and Web-based surveys, Orfield Laboratories has helped many companies to begin to view their employees as their greatest operational profit center. This presentation will discuss the effect that noise as well as other environmental factors has on work performance.