Large open plan offices are having a major impact on worker health, with noise, loss of concentration and headaches among the complaints most commonly reported to company doctors, according to research by television programme De Monitor.

Researchers spoke to 90 members of the Dutch company doctors association and found four in five of them thought absenteeism would go down if people worked in smaller spaces with fewer workmates.

In addition, almost 60% thought open plan offices should be abolished.

Noise and a loss of concentration were mentioned by over 90% of workers suffering from work-related problems. A lack of privacy was also mentioned by a significant number.

‘You cannot simply close a door if your colleagues are making a noise,’ the NVAB said in a statement.

‘Shutting yourself off by using headphones and the like is an ‘escape’ but not a solution. Politicians pay a lot of attention to insuring the damage to health in relation to work. But we miss a focus on a real prevention strategy, such as healthy places to work.’