Many of us spend a large chunk of our waking lives at work, which begs the question of if our work environment effects our health?  These days open office layouts and cubicles seem to be the norm in most offices, especially in New York, but this functional layout may be the worst when it comes to employee wellness and productivity. 

The idea behind these plans is that employees will be happier and more productive if they work together, rather than being separated by thick office walls.  But these popular “open” design plans may actually be doing more harm than good.  Statistically, studies have found that workers stuck in cubicles or open office spaces are more dissatisfied with their work environment than people in private offices.

But why are our modern office environments harming our health?  Although these open spaces foster a spirit of innovation and a collective mission, there is a negative impact on focus, productivity, creativity and job satisfaction.  Similarly there are higher stress levels, less concentration, and therefore less motivation for work.  Because interruptions are more frequent in a group setting, this can hinder productivity.

But this is not the whole story.  Here are some reasons why your office environment could be harming your health, and your happiness:

1.     Increased stress levels:  8 in 10 Americans report being stressed about their jobs and about half of US workers have left a job because of an overly stressful environment.  Many believe work stress has made them sick at one time or another.   According to a study by Cornell University, an office environment can spike stress level.  Exposure to the noise level of open environment for 3+ hours spikes your adrenaline hormone which is associated with the body’s stress response.

2.     Easier to get sick:  According to the NSF Public Health and Safety Organization, 1 in 4 Americans goes to work sick.  In open office environment especially easy for colds to get passed around.  Similarly, Bloomberg Businessweek reports that part of this is also the poor air quality.  Air inside a commercial building can sometimes be up to 100 times more polluted than the air outside.

3.     Noise kills concentration: Phones ringing, coworkers chatting, typing and moving around, makes open offices very noisy and distracting.  Time is getting lost because of all the noise-related distractions, which can in turn be stressful on a worker trying to get their work done in a timely fashion.

4.     Sedentary lifestyle increases risk of disease:  sitting can be thought of as the new smoking.  If you don’t believe us then take a look at these facts. Sitting at a desk in front of a computer screen all day has been linked to:

·       Higher risk of diabetes

·       Cardiovascular disease

·       Vision problems

·       Headaches

·       Body aches and pains