Office phone booths boost employees' physical and mental health(2)

For mental focus

Trying to concentrate on a difficult task in a noisy office is not only stressful, but can also be time-consuming.

A study conducted by Humboldt University in Berlin found that once you've been interrupted, it's not easy to get your concentration back on track - in fact, it can take up to 23 minutes to regain your previous level of focus.

As well as helping you focus on your work, a quiet space like a phone booth can also help reduce error rates. In an article on the subject, Fox Business News reported that because they allowed for quiet concentration, workers made 10% fewer mistakes as a result.

Clearly, this is good for employee morale and workplace productivity. Many people want to know how to concentrate and work in an open office, but apparently the answer is to keep things closed.

For physical health

Did you know that spending all your time in an open plan office can increase your chances of getting sick?

In a study conducted at Stockholm University, researchers assessed the link between different types of offices and the short and long-term illnesses suffered by employees. They also looked at the number of days in a year that employees were sick. They found that when workers worked without privacy, they had a higher chance of experiencing short-term illnesses.

Another study conducted in Denmark showed that workers in open plan offices spent 62% more sick days than those in completely enclosed offices.

While it may not be practical to completely redesign or move your office set-up, you can easily leave a designated enclosed space, such as a phone booth, to make your open plan office more private.

This should significantly reduce the risk of sickness and lead to a happier and healthier workforce in the long run.

Everyone needs to take some time out of their working day and it is a well-documented fact that workers who have regular breaks work smarter and more efficiently.

In fact, the ideal work schedule is 52 minutes of work followed by 17 minutes of rest. It is no coincidence that separate studies have established that the brain works best during intense activity lasting about an hour, followed by a short break to recharge its batteries by relaxing.

For workers, a break means a real change in their physical environment. So even just getting away from their desk and into a private phone booth can provide the adjustment they need to get back to their task.