A noisy office isn’t just frustrating for your employees – it can also affect their productivity levels. So what can you do about it? Fortunately, there are a number of ways to cut down the noise in your office, some of which are easy and affordable to implement.
Here are some of the best.
Acoustic products are designed specially to help keep noise to a minimum. There are numerous specialist products such as wall panels, ceiling rafts and soft upholstered furniture that provide comfort, privacy and limit office noise transference.
Here at Building Interiors we work with specialist Acoustic companies as well as providing cost effective knowledgeable solutions which can help in reducing noise, therefore creating a more comfortable area to work in.
Products include acoustic panels, rafts, decorative acoustic cork and wraparound desk pods to name a few. It means we can provide a solution that is not only practical but also stylish and modern – you do not need to comprise.
Flooring can cause problems for the noise level in your office. A hard floor like wood or ceramic can be a nightmare, and people stomping around the office all day can create a relentless thudding that can make it hard to concentrate.
This is easily resolved by installing a carpet or vinyl flooring, both of which have soundproofing qualities and are easy to look after.
Office partitioning can be highly effective – and cost effective too. By simply putting up partitions, you can separate employees into their own cubicles, which can immediately reduce the noise levels in the office.
There are many contemporary and stylish designs of partitioning now available, so it can enhance the atmosphere and overall feel of the office at the same time.
The layout can also play a role in your office acoustics. Often, a few simple changes can make a big improvement. For example, you could keep noisy equipment out of the way by putting the photocopier and the printers in a separate room where they won’t disturb your employees.
Sometimes, all you need to do is provide areas where your employees can go to enjoy some peace and quiet during the day. Rather than install insulation and triple glazing in the whole office, you might want to put one room aside and soundproof it.
If your employees know they can find a quiet place when they need one, they might not mind so much that the rest of the office is noisy.
If noise levels are really distracting your employees, you could allow them to wear headphones while they work. As long as listening to music does not get in the way of their duties, it could prove to be an easy solution.
They could even invest in noise-cancelling headphones to help them get into the zone and work better – and it won’t cost you anything.
Some of the worst noise pollution can come from outside the office. If your office is right next to a busy street, background noise from cars and people can filter through the walls and windows and prove to be distracting.
One option here is to install double glazing windows – or even triple glazing. Keeping the windows shut can also help, but to do this, you may need to install better air conditioning or improve the ventilation. Otherwise people will want to open the windows and the noise will come in.
Don’t let your employees suffer a noisy office environment. It can increase stress, reduce their enjoyment and affect their productivity. With just a few simple changes, you could drastically cut down on noise levels in your office to enjoy a happier and more productive workforce.