Explore which industries are suitable for open office: Through an experiment on the impact of noise on individual job performance

This study has examined the impact of noise on individual job performance in the open-plan office. Forty participants were randomly assigned to a controlled condition and exposed to low-intensity noise, ranging from 40 dB to 70 dB. The experimental noise comes from a single sound source of office conversations. The prominent feature of the neurobehavioral approach is its focus on the change of human behavior, which can reflect the effect of environment on human brain function. Changes in nervous system function can be evaluated by measuring changes in a person's behavior. Therefore, we arranged four neurobehavioral tests to record the changes in workers' job performance, including perception, learning and memory, thinking, and execution tests. It was found that noise in open-plan office affected individual job performance differentially, which mainly depends on the category of job. From the point of view of noise impact on individual job performance, the open office may be more suitable for the military industry and some mechanically repetitive jobs. In the information technology, service, finance and government industry, it is desirable to take the semi-open form. It is only appropriate to use a private office for the academic industry, which requires a lot of thought.