Open plan offices 'make workers ill'

Those who work in open plan offices, such as employees in the media and new media industries, could be damaging their health, it has been claimed.

Research carried out by the Queensland University of Technology indicates such workspaces can cause high levels of stress, conflict, high blood pressure, as well as a high staff turnover.

Dr Vinesh Oommen, from the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at the university, who carried out the study, commented: "The evidence we found was absolutely shocking."

He said that working in an open-plan office could contribute to higher blood pressure and an increased risk of sickness, as germs such as the influenza virus are easily passed around in that environment.

"It has been found that the high level of noise causes employees to lose concentration, leading to low productivity [and] there are privacy issues because everyone can see what you are doing on the computer," added Dr Oommen.

Last week, the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services claimed people who attempt to enter the workplace without a basic knowledge of IT may find they experience difficulties.

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Filed: 14-01-2009