The ABC of Office Acoustics

Open-plan offices have become increasingly popular in recent years. They aid integration and collaboration, and generally open up paths of communication – but they are not without their issues.

While it is good to offer staff an environment in which they can share ideas and discuss openly, it is not so conducive when it comes to privacy and can also lead to problems with distraction. But if you learn the ABC of office acoustics, you can go a long way to resolving these pitfalls without having to resort to rebuilding those walls.

A: Absorb

Noise loves hard surfaces to bounce off. This reverberation causes echoes which are incredibly distracting. It’s vital to halt the sound waves with soft surfaces and, in the office, these can come in the form of ceiling and wall panels or carpets. Sound-absorbing

PET felt acoustic panels are just the job here. They will not completely eliminate the sound but will subtly assist in breaking up the irritating echo.

B: Block

Tackling a noisy floor can be tricky, especially if it covers a vast area. The best approach is to break it up into more manageable sections using standing-height partitions or higher desk dividers.

If you can install some of these, ideally at just overhead height, noise from speech can be blocked and broken down as soon as possible. Again, PET felt acoustic panels will work well.

C: Cover

Sound and speech masking is becoming an increasingly popular solution to tackling noise issues. This tech approach involves an evenly distributed, soft and inconspicuous sound being emitted through a speaker system.

The ambient noise level becomes more uniform and noisy distractions are muffled. When employees are less distracted, they are able to concentrate better and their productivity levels increase. We understand how important it is for an office space to be free from disruptions – but particularly noise.

If you’re thinking about refurbishing your workplace, learn about our ABC of office acoustics to help.