BBC Business Daily: Do you like a noisy or quiet workplace?
- Research shows that very quiet offices and very loud offices are both bad, while moderate noise levels around 50 decibels are best.
- Employees got used to quieter working conditions at home during the pandemic and are struggling to adjust to noisier offices.
- Sudden noises can startle workers and disrupt their focus.
- Companies are redesigning offices to control acoustics and noise levels.
- Moderate noise levels around 45 to 60 decibels, similar to normal conversation or birdsong, are found to boost productivity and wellbeing.
- Too much quiet can also be disruptive as workers are more sensitive to sudden noises.
- Companies are becoming more aware of the mental health impacts of noise levels and are adjusting office designs accordingly.
- Open plan offices aim to balance interaction and collaboration with limiting distractions.
- The pandemic has made both employers and employees rethink the benefits of remote versus office working.
BBC More or Less : Will there be just 6 grandchildren for every 100 South Koreans?
- South Korea has one of the lowest birth rates in the world at 0.78 children per woman
- This is below the 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population
- At this rate, there will be 15 grandchildren for every 100 Koreans today, not 6 as reported by The Telegraph
- However, the population is still shrinking rapidly
- Factors contributing to the low birth rate include:
- Expensive housing
- Long working hours (1900 hours per year on average)
- High cost of child rearing and education
- Women are more reluctant to have children due to gender norms and inequality
- While women work outside the home, they still bear most of the responsibility for domestic work and childcare
- Out-of-wedlock births account for only 4% of births due to social conservatism
- South Korea’s rapidly declining birth rate serves as a warning for other countries
- Societies must change to support the needs of women of childbearing age
Consequences
- Rapid population decline and aging population
- Shrinking workforce
- Increased burden on social welfare and pension systems
- Economic challenges due to declining consumer demand and productivity
- Potential competitiveness issues on the global stage
- Risks for sustaining economic growth in the long term
- Challenges providing public services and infrastructure for a smaller population
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