Open-plan offices have dominated commercial design for years, promising flexibility, collaboration, and cost efficiency. On paper, they seem like the perfect evolution from the era of closed-off cubicles.

But there’s a tradeoff most organizations don’t see.

New research suggests open-plan environments may be quietly killing focus and productivity, costing far more than just floor space.

So, what’s actually happening inside the brain in an open office?

The Breakdown: What the Science Says

• Open-plan workspaces increase mental load: As a work session continues, the brain has to work harder to maintain focus due to constant background stimuli and interruptions. This shows up as increased neural effort just to stay on task.
• Enclosed work pods reduce cognitive effort: In more controlled, private environments, the brain becomes more efficient over time. Tasks can be sustained with less mental strain, reflected in lower levels of cortical activity.
• Distractions come at a cost: Noise, visual movement, and limited privacy make it harder to concentrate and reduce overall satisfaction. Employees expend additional mental energy simply managing these distractions.
• Workspace design directly impacts performance: The physical environment plays an active role in how effectively people think and work. Incorporating quiet, enclosed spaces within open offices allows individuals to step away from interruptions and reset their focus.

The Research Keeps Pointing in the Same Direction

These findings align with a broader body of research.

In a 2021 study published online by the Cambridge University Press, a strong causal connection was identified between noise in open-plan offices and increased physiological stress. The study observed 43 participants in a controlled setting, using heart rate tracking, skin conductance, and AI-driven facial analysis. Results showed that individuals working in open environments experienced a 25% increase in negative mood and a 34% rise in psychological stress levels.

Additional studies have found that exposure to background conversations and ongoing noise can disrupt concentration, reduce cognitive performance, and increase mental fatigue.

At a larger scale, a 2013 analysis of more than 42,000 office workers across the United States, Finland, Canada, and Australia reported lower workplace satisfaction among employees in open-plan settings. The most commonly cited issues were excessive noise and lack of privacy.

Taken together, the evidence points in a consistent direction. Just as poor ergonomics can lead to physical discomfort, open-plan workspaces can also introduce cognitive strain, which affects focus, efficiency, and overall employee well-being over time.

The research is clear: workplace design directly impacts cognitive performance.

ICON’s Perspective

Studies using EEG data show that open-plan environments require employees to expend increasing mental effort just to maintain focus, while enclosed, low-distraction spaces reduce that cognitive load over time, reinforcing a consistent conclusion:

High-performing workplaces are not fully open; they are balanced.

Organizations that combine collaborative zones with dedicated quiet spaces enable employees to shift between interaction and deep work as needed. This flexibility supports focus, reduces fatigue, and improves overall productivity & can instill collaboration without being inherently forced.

At ICON Contract, we help organizations implement this balance with precision.

Through our proven ICON One process, we integrate design, planning, manufacturing, delivery, installation, & warranty into a single streamlined process, eliminating friction and ensuring every element of your workspace works together seamlessly, with far longer support timelines so that your office feels better for longer.

From durable desking designed for collaboration to high-performance acoustic work pods that provide refuge from noise and distraction, we deliver environments built to support how people actually work.

This results in spaces that reduce cognitive strain, support productivity, and perform well in the long term.

Are you ready to rethink your space?

Visit iconcontract.com to design a workplace that supports focus, not fight against it.

Sources:

1. Pérez-Martínez M, Barranco-Merino R, Higuera-Trujillo JL, Llinares C. Temporal trajectories in EEG-based mental workload: Effects of workspace type. Buildings. 2026;16(1):176. doi:10.3390/buildings16010176

2. Sander EJ, Marques C, Birt J, Stead M, Baumann O. Open-plan office noise is stressful: multimodal stress detection in a simulated work environment. J Manag Organ. 2021;27(6):1021-1037. doi:10.1017/jmo.2021.17

3. Kim J, de Dear R. Workspace satisfaction: The privacy-communication trade-off in open-plan offices. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 2013;36(36):18-26. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.06.007