An experience sampling study of employees’ reactions to noise in the open-plan office

In this experience sampling method (ESM) study, we hypothesized that negative affect would mediate the effect of office noise perceptions on employees’ withdrawal, conflict, and territorial behaviors (marking and defending territory). We collected ESM and weekly diary data from 71 Australian employees working in open-plan offices, resulting in 672 event data points. Using a multi-level analysis model, we found that perceived office noise relates positively to negative affect that, in turn, relates positively to withdrawal and task conflict at the momentary level of analysis; and territorial marking behaviors at the between-person level. We found further that office privacy also moderates the relationship between employees’ in-the-moment perceptions of office noise and in-the-moment negative affect. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for theory, research, and practice; as well as noting some research limitations and pointing out the implications of our findings for office design.