HEALTH & SAFETY SOUNDING OFF Noise in the office can be a bigger problem than it sounds. Colin Stuart,
Managing Director of Workplace Consultancy, Baker Stuart, explains how to create an office environment that reduces the negative impact of noise.
Whether it’s the constant hum of the printer, the incessant ringing of mobile phones, or the relentless chatter from
the desk behind you- noise can have a significant impact on your working day. It can affect our mood, well-being and performance, contributing to stress and illness, which in turn can lead to absenteeism and eventually turnover of staff.
So what can be done? How can the everyday noises of a thriving workplace be suppressed without sentencing a workforce to a strict vow of silence? After all, not all of us thrive in quiet conditions anyway- so how do we provide a workspace with noise levels suitable for everyone?
The first place to start is by assessing your overall working environment, establishing whether you have sufficient spaces that offer both silent and loud working conditions. It is advisable that a range of areas are provided, such as informal meeting spaces, spaces for people to collaborate away from the desk and breakout rooms as well as quiet zones, that allow workers to escape to concentrate on more contemplative tasks.
Offering quiet booths, phone-free desk areas or sound proof glazed cubes, will allow staff to choose a space accordingly. Providing options of where and how to work will inevitably improve morale and enhance productivity. Environments where noise can be made are equally as important and will allow for collaboration, discussion, creative working, recreation and other forms of interaction.
According to sound expert Julian Treasure- if you can hear someone talking while you’re reading or
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writing, your productivity will dip by up to 66%. By educating staff and promoting office etiquette they will eventually become conscious of the impact of their noise.
When considering office layout, you should always bear noisiness in mind. For example, louder departments -that are more inclined to collaborate and interact a lot- may be best placed away from quieter departments even if they regularly interact. Encouraging people to collaborate in more appropriate locations and considering the personalities of staff when developing the seating plan are all useful noise avoidance techniques. It is very tempting to pack people in but the density of desk placement should be considered carefully as high density environments generate more noise distraction, reduce overall productivity and could cost the organisation more in the long run.
If space issues and budgetary constraints exist, consider introducing a flexible or agile working policy. This will allow staff to choose when to work undisturbed on the important tasks that require concentration, from the silence of their own homes, or other suitable environments.
There are various ways in which the design of the office can reduce noise. Furniture, for example, can have a significant impact, as sofas, chairs, cabinets and partitions all prevent the travel of sound. Open plan areas with high noise levels can be muted with carpets, acoustic ceilings and sound absorbing barriers between desks. Plants and trees are excellent sound absorbers, and can be used to reduce noise in the same way they do when placed next to busy roads. Larger plants will absorb more noise and will also work wonders in improving oxygen levels within the office. There are also a number of products that can help reduce or mask noise, active white noise generation systems can be effective and there are a number of passive sound absorbing products such as acoustic walls and individual panels that can be placed around the workspace.
An investment in your office environment will certainly pay off by improving staff productivity, well- being and morale, whilst reducing attrition and generally having a positive impact on the organisation.
www.bakerstuart.com
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