New Research To Create Workplaces That Work

July 22 23:54 2019
New Research To Create Workplaces That Work

Designing workplaces that work

The Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants (AAAC) this month launches a crowdfunding campaign ‘designing workplaces that work’ which will fund a ground-breaking research project aiming to transform the way we think about workplace design.

Studies increasingly show that open plan offices are doing more harm than good. 50 per cent of office workers say they can’t focus at work while 49 per cent are suffering from stress in the workplace, costing employers over $10 billion dollars per year.

The crowdfunding campaign aims to raise $150,000 by 31 July 2019. If successful, the research project will launch on the 1 August 2019 and will be led by internationally recognised Dr Libby Sander and team Dr James Birt and Dr Oliver Bauman at Bond University.

This project will undertake both laboratory and field experiments to investigate the effects of noise and distraction in modern office environments on employee performance and well-being. A range of objective scientific measures will be used including EEG brain scans, cortisol testing, eye tracking data, augmented reality, virtual reality and performance testing.

The crowdfunding campaign has already successfully brought on board Platinum Partner Habitat Soundscaping from the US, Gold Partner Resonate Consultants and Bronze Partner 45dB. Partners will have access to broad media exposure, ground-breaking research, opportunity to publish in leading academic journals, and to present the research at conferences.

Matthew Stead, Chairperson at the AAAC is passionate about the acoustical industry taking action to change the way we work.

“Over my career as an acoustical consultant I’ve seen firsthand the impact that badly designed offices can have on individuals and teams.”

“It not only impacts productivity and the bottom-line but can effect an individual’s mental and physical health if issues aren’t addressed.”

“We believe we can spearhead change that starts in Australia and then spreads the impact across the rest of the world.”

“We’re looking for founding partners who are as excited about this research as we are!”

“This important piece of research will be a one-off opportunity to change the status quo.”

For more information go to https://aaac.org.au/Crowdfunding

Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants (AAAC)

The Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants was founded in 1978 as a not-for-profit peak body whose members provide consultancy advice in all areas of acoustics, noise and vibration.

The AAAC aims to raise the standards of acoustic consultancy and educate industry professionals and the public on the role of good acoustics and its impact on the design and planning in the built environment.

The organisation now has 65 member firms, employing approximately 400 consultants reflecting a $90m size industry. Its members are some of the most highly qualified and experienced acoustic professionals in the country. They provide professional unbiased advice and deliver practical innovative and cost-effective solutions for their clients.

There is growing public awareness of the importance of good acoustical design and this field is popular amongst architects, engineers and other building professionals.

The AAAC has developed a Star Rating System that is used widely across the industry to combat the deficiencies in the Building Code in relation to apartment noise intrusion.

For more information, visit: http://www.aaac.org.au/

Dr Libby Sander

Dr Libby Sander, PhD, Master HRM, Bachelor of Arts (Japanese), Bachelor of Business, Fellow AIM, is Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Bond University, the founder and director of the Future of Work Project, founder of Rethink, and past Chair of Goldspaces, an urban renewal and cultural development platform. 

Libby has appeared on Channel 7’s Sunrise, as well as ABC TV’s science program Catalyst, ABC TV’s The Drum, ABC News and spoken at TEDx presenting her research on the effects of the workplace environment.

She is a feature writer for The Conversation and an agenda contributor at the World Economic Forum. Libby is also a freelance feature writer and published author, and her work has been featured in The Harvard Business Review, The Guardian, the BBC, Fast Company, The Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and on SBS. To date, her articles have over one million readers.

Libby is the co-author of Work in the 21st Century: How do I Log On? which was published by Emerald in 2017.

Media Contact
Company Name: Association for Australasian Acoustical Consultants
Contact Person: Jenny Hassam
Email: Send Email
Phone: +61428212434
Country: Australia
Website: https://aaac.org.au/

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