Psychology says the loudest person in your office may be changing everyone's behavior without realizing it

Noisy open-plan offices significantly impact employee behaviour, research reveals. Studies show perceived noise triggers negative emotions like irritation, leading to disengagement, increased task conflict, and territoriality. The brain struggles to filter irrelevant sounds, especially speech, which interferes with inner thought processes and working memory. Personality traits like neuroticism can exacerbate these effects, turning background noise into a significant cognitive and emotional strain for many.