Sickness absence associated with shared and open-plan offices – a national cross sectional questionnaire survey

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine whether shared and open-plan offices are associated with more days of sickness absence than cellular offices. METHODS: The analysis was based on a national survey of Danish inhabitants between 18–59 years of age (response rate 62%), and the study population consisted of the 2403 employees that reported working in offices. The different types of offices were characterized according to self-reported number of occupants in the space. The log-linear Poisson model was used to model the number of self-reported sickness absence days depending on the type of office; the analysis was adjusted for age, gender, socioeconomic status, body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, and physical activity during leisure time. RESULTS: Sickness absence was significantly related to having a greater number of occupants in the office (P6 persons) had 62% more days of sickness absence (RR 1.62, 95% CI 1.30–2.02). CONCLUSION: Occupants sharing an office and occupants in open-plan offices (>6 occupants) had significantly more days of sickness absence than occupants in cellular offices.

Keywords

• sick leave
• sickness absence
• work environment
• office building
• open-plan office
• shared office