The volume of speech in office environments is significantly influenced by design elements, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Concordia University. Published on November 5, 2025, in the journal Science and Technology for the Built Environment, the study highlights how environmental factors and meeting types shape the way employees communicate.
Researchers investigated speech levels in two active offices—one in Montreal and the other in Quebec City. Over 70 employees participated in the study, speaking in either English or French. Utilizing high-precision sound meters, the team measured speech levels across a variety of office settings, including open-plan spaces with and without partitions, private offices, and both small and large meeting rooms.
Joonhee Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering and the study’s lead author, emphasized that while individual speech habits matter, the physical design of the workspace plays a crucial role in determining how loudly employees communicate. “We found that people speak significantly louder if they are in an open-plan office with partitions separating the work stations,” Lee explained.
In the study, interactions varied from casual conversations to formal online meetings, with and without headsets. The findings indicated that while desk partitions do help attenuate sound, they may inadvertently encourage louder speech. “The partitions create a false sense of privacy, leading workers to speak at a higher volume than they might otherwise,” Lee noted.
Interestingly, the research revealed that speech levels in meeting rooms remained consistent, irrespective of room size. Teleconferences prompted slightly elevated speaking volumes compared to face-to-face discussions, but language itself did not significantly impact the volume of speech.
One of the most striking aspects of this study was the observation that actual speech levels in workplaces were considerably lower than industry standards, which are often derived from laboratory tests conducted in anechoic chambers. These chambers lack reflective surfaces that can help individuals gauge their speech strength. This discrepancy suggests that current standards for speech privacy and noise control in office design may not accurately reflect real-world communication dynamics.
Lee pointed out that an optimal office environment should include a degree of background noise. “A completely noise-free environment could be almost as distracting as an overly noisy one,” he said. The presence of some level of ambient sound can enhance performance by masking other disruptive noises.
The implications of this study extend beyond mere workplace comfort. As organizations continue to adopt open office layouts, understanding the relationship between environment, design, and communication can lead to better workplace strategies that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction.
For more information, refer to the study titled “Speech level variation by office environment and communication type” by Rewan Toubar et al., published in Science and Technology for the Built Environment.
