Seven Castles

Pin-drop Syndrome

                                      

August 30, 2006

 

In our modern world, silence is no longer golden. On the contrary, utter silence can be torture. That is what accountants at BBC's open-area west London office whispered, as they found the almost complete silence in their open plan, first-floor office unhealthily stressful. Some said it made them feel lonely and isolated. On the rare occasions when the silence was shattered by the telephone, all 30 workers downed pens to eavesdrop on the conversation.

 

The discovery of this potential stress factor in the workplace proved that the open plan office is so quiet and lifeless. As the noise level was only 20 decibels, the equivalent to a tranquil country garden on a summer's day, BBC chiefs agreed to invest in a noise machine to simulate the noise of a "normal" office, using prerecorded chitchat and laughter to improve morale.

 

According to the experts, too-quiet offices are a growing problem. Double-glazing, efficient air conditioning and advanced computers mean that the level of noise is lower than ever, making offices far too quiet for many people. "Pin-drop syndrome", identified by Dr Yong Yan, a sound expert at Greenwich University, means extreme quietness in an office, which leads to worker stress because the significance of even the smallest noises is magnified. Dr Yan said that in addition to the increasing stress levels experienced when noise levels rose above 60 decibels, people also felt unhappy when the level fell below 20 decibels, fearing that their telephone conversations are overheard.

 

As a constant Web-surfer, I am suffering from the syndrome, either in office or at home, while focusing on some online applications such as online stock trading or web writing in an uncomfortable silence. That is the very reason I prefer to playback easy listening as background tunes to relieve me from the syndrome!

 

【作者: zhangliping】【访问统计:】【2006年08月30日 星期三 05:54】【 加入博采】【打印】