Fewer than one in four UK office workers believe their employer is fully committed to staff health and wellbeing, according to new research from Oscar Acoustics.
The findings reveal that despite years of promises, excessive workplace noise continues to undermine both physical and mental health.
The company’s latest whitepaper shows that only 26% of employees think their workplace takes a genuinely forward-thinking approach to wellbeing. More than half of those surveyed still describe their office as noisy, a figure almost unchanged from research carried out five years ago.
One in 14 workers reported experiencing hearing damage caused by excessive noise levels at work, equating to thousands of employees across the UK. The problem is particularly acute for neurodiverse employees, with those living with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia or autism reporting higher levels of distraction, stress and reduced work quality in noisy environments.
Despite these findings, just 3% of staff believe their employer has plans to redesign office spaces to tackle noise issues, while only 15% report any meaningful redesign has already taken place. Nearly a third of employees say they want to see acoustic design improvements introduced.
Ben Hancock, managing director at Oscar Acoustics, warned that good acoustics are essential for both wellbeing and performance. He stressed that companies must take the risks of noise exposure seriously, not only for comfort but also to protect against long-term health damage.
As employers fail to act, workers are resorting to their own solutions. More than 40% now wear headphones to block out noise, almost double the number recorded in 2022. Others work from home specifically to escape office noise, undermining return-to-office policies.
Some of the consequences are more disruptive. Almost a fifth of employees admit snapping at colleagues due to noise-related stress, while nearly one in ten say they have directed their frustration at managers.
Hancock added that businesses often emphasise the importance of workplace culture when insisting on office attendance, yet noise is actively eroding that culture. Until employers make acoustics a real priority, he warned, the problem will continue to grow.
