The Relationship Between Workplace Stressors With Performance and Mental Fatigue of Technical Office Employees in Open Plan Layouts Publisher



Divani R¹ ; Karami M² ; Taban E¹ ; Gharib S³ Show Affiliations
Source: Iran Occupational Health Published:2023

Abstract

Background and aims: Employee performance significantly influences an organization’s productivity. Environmental factors may impact human performance. This research aimed to explore the relationship between workplace environmental factors, mental fatigue, and worker performance in open-plan offices. Methods: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on eighty-five employees in the open-plan technical offices of an industrial company. Workplace physical factors such as noise, light, and temperature were assessed using a noise dosimeter (TES-1345), lux meter (hanger model 1331), and WBGT meter (CASELLA, England), respectively. Cognitive performance was assessed with the Stroop test, while time performance and mental fatigue were evaluated via a questionnaire. Results: There was a significant inverse correlation between workers’ time performance and workplace noise level (r=0.251, p=0.02). A link was found between time performance and environmental temperature (at the 0.01 level), but with an inverse correlation (r=0.317). The association between cognitive performance variables and the three workplace factors of noise, light, and temperature was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Lastly, a considerable correlation was found between mental fatigue and noise intensity (r= 0.303). Conclusion: The research results indicated that noise and temperature are stressors that can increase the mental fatigue of employees in open-plan offices, thereby impairing their work performance. Therefore, optimizing environmental factors (noise and temperature) may reduce mental fatigue and enhance the performance of technical office employees. © 2023 Iran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.