Nature Immersion in the Workplace
Office-based soundscapes for wellbeing
CLIENT:
PARTNERS:
Moodsonic
K-ARRAY
CUSTOM STUDIES
VALIDATION & IMPACT
INSIGHT REPORT
CHALLENGE
Test the impact of Moodsonic soundscapes on office workers in a real-world setting
Moodsonic soundscapes provide employees across global companies with nature-based immersion while they work. While there is proven research around nature sounds on wellbeing, limited research exists about the impact these in real-world office environments.
CREATIVE CONCEPT
A neuroscience study to understand how soundscapes support employee focus, creativity & relaxation
A neuroscience study testing the brainwaves and heart rate of office workers was developed alongside Goldsmiths University researchers, to help gain real-world insights into the research question “Do Moodsonic soundscapes help increase relaxation, focus and creative thinking in office environments?”
EXECUTION
EEG, Heart Rate & Behavioural Data were studies to measure the impact of Moodsonic
The neuroscience study took comparative measures from typical office sounds and Moodsonic soundscape to compare states of relaxation, engagement, and creativity. The data proved Moodsonic increased creativity, relaxation and focus, and the findings were turned into a report with specific design application to be incorporated into Moodsonic strategies and compositions.
Our ears are listening 24 hours a day, and with up to 87% of our lives spent indoors), it is increasingly important to ensure that the sounds of our buildings support its users. Noise is often employees’ number one complaint in workspaces, and poor sound in buildings can negatively impact employee health and performance.
Our neuroscience study used EEG and Heart Rate, collected in an office in London. Each participant listened to a Moodsonic Soundscape played on the KSCAPE RAIL audio system, and typical office sounds while they performed a series of tasks with pre and post baseline measures were recorded.
The Moodsonic soundscape increased the relaxation response, focus better and were found to be more creative in a divergent thinking test. This proved positive soundscapes are key to both wellbeing and productivity. The use of Moodsonic soundscapes can bring more conscious awareness of the importance of biophilic soundscapes to relaxation, creativity and productivity that will support more positive use of curated sounds in the built environment.
Testing these soundscapes in office environments allows us to uncover greater impact and understanding of biophilic soundscapes in the real-world environments users are listening in.