A study conducted by psychologists Michael Rosander of Linköping University and Morten Birkeland Nielsen of the National Institute of Occupational Health in Sweden has found that open office spaces have a 67 percent higher risk of workplace bullying than private offices or smaller shared office spaces. The study surveyed over 3,300 workers across Sweden and found that workers in traditional open-plan offices were significantly more likely to report bullying than those in smaller private offices. The researchers also noted that open offices may reduce face-to-face communication by up to 70 percent, causing misunderstandings and ongoing tensions between coworkers. The findings add to the growing evidence that office design shapes workplace behavior.