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In recent years, white-collar productivity has declined at a rate that is inversely proportionate to the growth of the labor force. Some have observed that office density may be where the nature of the problem lies. There are simply more people being employed per square foot of office space. The result is that workers are generally crowded, and as such much interference is generated by interruptions. Noise is a big factor in this problem. As offices become more densely populated, there are more employee conversations and equipment noise that creates the kind of distractions that cut into worker productivity. In effect, the growth of the white collar industries has reached a tipping point in which an increasing worker population means less productivity from the space shared, not more.

There is a way to combat the negative effects of office noise pollution. It is called white noise, a form of noise that has more to with wavelengths and less to do with the visual spectrum. It is a blend of multiple sound frequencies emitted across a single stream, similar to how white light is the color which results from the combination of multiple light frequencies.

As such, when it is broadcast loudly enough, white noise can conceal much of the noise pollution around it by absorbing the properties of sound into its own mix of frequencies. It can serve as an effective panacea against various forms of noise pollution such as humming workstations, idle chit chat, ringing telephones and street traffic and is frequently used to alleviate the emotion and physical stress from these noises.

Recent years have seen an upswing in the popularity of white noise machines, as they have proven to be of good use in the office environment. They provide a calm and soothing form of relief from the kind of noise pollution that persists in the office, and have been proven to help increase productivity. They have also been put to good use outside of the office by people who need help in sleeping at night.