Created to promote collaboration, brainstorming and company culture by design, the open office can be a noisy place. Unfortunately for end users, noise distractions are detrimental to productivity and employee satisfaction. According to the Harvard Business Review, 60 percent of workers and half of all workers without office partitions are frustrated by a lack of noise privacy. Noise-cancellation headphones can only go so far. Dealers must be prepared with solutions to help end users find the auditory privacy solutions they need.
Create Phone Booths and Private Work Areas
While not necessarily intended for permanent occupation (like a corporate or managerial private office), private quiet places are helpful for workers that just want to get stuff done. Having isolated spaces can give workers a much-needed area for important personal work or calls without needing to occupy valuable meeting rooms. These can work in conjunction with shared desk space for an economic solution to noise control.
Privacy is Valued Even in “Collaborative Space”
Meeting areas need their own auditory privacy, too. This means dampening sound sources entering and exiting the space so neighboring co-workers aren’t distracted. Contemporary office furniture like high-back couches and chairs have built-in noise cancelation by design. Be mindful of where breakout rooms and conference rooms are in relation to the common work areas or private offices. With the right furniture and office partitions, it can be fun to create a functional small-group meeting area. Be sure it’s not so close that workers will complain. Of course, placement of high-back furniture is important (backs facing common work areas).
Sound Masking and “Acoustic Clouds”
Acoustic clouds, which take advantage of sound absorbing fabrics, are hanging sound absorption panels. These are effective at preventing sound from bouncing and reverberating around the office and are cost effective for business owners on a budget.
Sound masking involves the installation of transducers that actively mask the passage of sound in walls, ducts, pipes and other weak areas in an office’s structure that would otherwise allow for the passage of sound. Like acoustic clouds, these are not budget breaking and are an innovative way to add an additional layer of acoustic privacy to meeting rooms or private offices.
Fabric in Furniture and Office Partitions is Effective and Stylish
Heavy fabrics serve as not only powerful noise-dampening tools, but also designer eye-candy. Some, like 100% premium wool felt are also attractive for those looking for the elimination of VOCs in workplaces and help with LEED qualification as well as contribute to the sustainability story of a workplace. Sofas, chairs, ottomans and even desks made with these fabrics can work wonders in neutralizing the sound of chatter, typing and shuffling. Rugs are mainstays of recording studios for a reason and are equally effective (and snazzy) sound dampeners in an office environment. Office partitions with sound-dampening fabrics are readily available for dealers, come in multiple colors, and add a warm, stylish texture to spaces in need of more acoustic privacy. Sliding and “flex” office dividers give end users and dealers even more options to create dynamic spaces in the office while simultaneously reducing acoustic distractions.