Idex Business Service Co., Ltd. (https://idex-f.co.jp/), which operates "WAKURINO" (https://wakurino.work/), conducted a survey on "Communication and Sound in the Office Environment" targeting company employees aged 20-40 who have been company employees since before the COVID-19 pandemic and currently commute to the office three or more days a week.

As the movement to return to the office gains momentum, the duality of "decreased productivity due to surrounding noise" and "communication breakdown due to overly quiet spaces" in offices has become a new management challenge.

In an office environment where multiple workers share a space, "sound" affects how people work.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to concentrate due to loud surrounding noises, and conversely, it can be unsettlingly quiet.

Communication with others is a source of new ideas, but at the same time, their voices can be a source of stress that disrupts others' concentration.

Sound in the office has a dual nature of "value" and "stress."

WAKURINO

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Office Noise Stress Ranking: 1st Place is "Sighs, Clicks of the Tongue, Talking to Oneself, Humming, etc."

First, when asked "Do you use earphones or headphones while working or commuting?", about half responded "Frequently use (24.0%)" or "Sometimes use (30.9%)".

About half of respondents use earphones or headphones on a daily basis, likely utilizing them in various situations such as online meetings due to the widespread adoption of remote work, during commutes, or while working.

In such a context, how do people feel about the environmental sounds that reach their ears in the actual office space?

When asked "Compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, have you become more sensitive or prone to stress from 'other people's voices' or 'environmental sounds like typing' in the office?" among those who answered "Frequently use" or "Sometimes use" in the previous question, about 60% responded "Strongly agree (25.2%)" or "Somewhat agree (37.1%)".

On the other hand, when the same question was asked to those who answered "Rarely use" or "Never use" earphones or headphones, about 80% responded "Strongly disagree (52.5%)" or "Somewhat disagree (31.2%)".

These results suggest that those who regularly use earphones or headphones tend to be more sensitive to office voices and environmental sounds compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is inferred that for those accustomed to an environment that constantly blocks or adjusts sound, uncontrollable office environmental sounds can easily become a source of stress.

So, what specific sounds are causing stress in the office?

When asked about "sounds that disrupt concentration or cause stress when commuting to the office," the most common response was "sighs, clicks of the tongue, talking to oneself, humming, etc. (33.3%)", followed by "laughter/chats (29.8%)" and "phone conversations (18.0%)".

It became clear that people experience more stress from sounds made by people than from mechanical sounds.

In particular, for the most frequent response, "sighs, clicks of the tongue, talking to oneself, humming, etc.," it is thought that people feel stress not only from the volume of the sound itself but also from the emotions conveyed by the person making the sound.

Furthermore, the high ranking of "laughter/chats" and "phone conversations" suggests that even communication necessary for business can be a hindrance to others' work.

How much do these environmental sounds actually affect work?

In the same question, when asked about the level of impact on work, the most common answer was "It's noticeable, but I can tolerate it and continue working (39.0%)".

However, on the other hand, a certain number of respondents answered "There is a clear negative impact (30.2%)" or "Work temporarily stops (13.3%)", revealing that a total of about 40% of workers feel a substantial decline in work efficiency due to noise.

Noise issues seem to extend beyond individual "discomfort" to impact productivity.

So, what measures are taken when surrounding noise interferes with work?

When asked about specific measures taken by those who reported that their work was somewhat affected by surrounding noise, the most common answer was "Temporarily leave my seat to take a break (35.0%)", followed by "Move to a quiet place within the office (30.7%)" and "Listen to music etc. with earphones (19.1%)".

Many people who feel a decline in concentration or work efficiency are taking actions to distance themselves from the source of the noise, such as "leaving their seat" or "moving to a quiet place," indicating they are trying to improve the situation by changing their environment rather than enduring it.

What is the ideal office space where noise stress is reduced, and work productivity and team collaboration improve?

When asked "Have you ever refrained (endured) from having a brief consultation or chat with a colleague because you were concerned that 'it might be a bother' due to the quiet work environment around you?", about half responded "Often (12.4%)" or "Sometimes (40.1%)".

It was found that many people refrain from communication because the office environment is quiet.

While a quiet office environment is conducive to individual concentration, it appears to create a concern that "my voice might bother others," raising the hurdle for casual conversation.

"Spatial segregation" is important to prevent situations where communication is withheld due to consideration for others, but what is the current state of office facilities?

When asked "Is your current office equipped with 'spaces for quiet individual work' and 'spaces for conversations and online meetings'?", the following results were obtained:

"Clearly separated (13.4%)"

"Somewhat separated (30.3%)"

"Not very separated (26.8%)"

"Not separated at all (29.5%)"

Although "somewhat separated" was the most common answer, "not very separated" and "not separated at all" combined accounted for over half, revealing that in many offices, the development of spaces for different purposes has not progressed sufficiently.

So, what kind of inconveniences are felt in environments where spaces are not clearly separated by purpose?

When asked about the inconveniences and drawbacks of not having "spaces for quiet individual work" and "spaces for conversations and online meetings" among those who answered "somewhat separated," "not very separated," or "not separated at all" in the previous question, the most common response was "I'm concerned about bothering others, so I hesitate to chat or consult casually (25.0%)", followed by "I'm conscious of those around me during online meetings at my desk (20.0%)" and "I can't concentrate on my work because I'm bothered by the conversations and noises around me (17.9%)".

The drawback of not having clearly separated spaces highlights the "consideration" for becoming a source of noise.

Furthermore, while necessary communication is suppressed due to consideration for others, there are also a certain number of complaints about not being able to concentrate due to others' noise.

It is believed that the inconvenience caused by the coexistence of people who want to concentrate and people who want to talk is negatively impacting individual productivity and team collaboration.

Finally, when asked "What kind of spaces or facilities, if added (renovated) to your current office, do you think would reduce noise stress and improve work productivity and team collaboration?", the most common answer was "'Open lounge for casual chats' with moderate background noise where you can relax and talk (26.7%)", followed by "'Fully soundproof private booths (for concentration/online meetings)' that completely block out surrounding noise (22.9%)" and "'Meeting seats' where small groups can have discussions without reservations (22.3%)".

As desired facilities, two types of environments were ranked highly: "a space where you can relax and talk amidst moderate background noise" and "a space that completely blocks out sound."

This reflects the on-site need to resolve "noise stress" and "consideration" that arise when people who want to concentrate and people who want to talk are in the same space.

It is thought that clearly separating "spaces for different purposes," such as places where you can communicate without hesitation and places where you can immerse yourself in work without worrying about noise, will be important for improving office environments in the future.

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Summary: The Reality of Office "Noise" Stress. The Key to Resolution is "Spatial Segregation by Purpose."

This survey revealed the reality that "communication and sound" in the office are impacting concentration and productivity.

Many company employees experience stress from sounds such as "sighs" and "chats," and many feel that their concentration and work efficiency are declining due to noise issues, making it a problem that goes beyond mere individual discomfort.

Conversely, in quiet office environments, people refrain from necessary consultations and chats, fearing that "their own voices might bother others."

Some people leave their seats or move to escape the stress of others' noise, while others refrain from communication altogether for fear of being a source of noise themselves.

The cause of this "noise stress" and "consideration for others" is the presence of people who want to concentrate and people who want to talk in the same space.

The survey results also highlighted that in many offices, spatial segregation by purpose has not progressed.

Therefore, it is suggested that "open spaces where you can talk without reservation" and "private rooms that completely block out sound," which have opposite functions, are needed as solutions.

In future office design, creating spaces where individuals can concentrate without stress and communicate freely is considered an important initiative for improving corporate productivity and strengthening organizational capabilities.

For office renovations, "WAKURINO (ワクリノ)"

Idex Business Service Co., Ltd. (https://idex-f.co.jp/), which conducted the survey on "Communication and Sound in the Office Environment," operates the office renovation service "WAKURINO" (https://wakurino.work/).

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WAKURINO: https://wakurino.work/

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Inquiry TEL: 050-5785-7200

Idex Business Service Co., Ltd.: https://idex-f.co.jp/

Inquiry URL: https://idex-f.co.jp/contact/

Survey Overview: Survey on "Communication and Sound in the Office Environment"

【Survey Period】June 8, 2026 (Mon) - June 9, 2026 (Tue)

【Survey Method】Internet survey conducted by PRIZMA (https://www.prizma-link.com/press)

【Number of Respondents】1,010 people

【Survey Target】Monitors who responded that they have been company employees since before the COVID-19 pandemic and currently commute to the office three or more days a week at the time of the survey.

【Survey Source】Idex Business Service Co., Ltd. (https://idex-f.co.jp/)

【Monitor Provider】Sakurisa

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Survey結果