For any office or workspace, one of the primary goals of interior design will be to maximize productivity. This means keeping things comfortable and practical for employees in several areas, including one that often gets glossed over when considering aesthetics and other factors: Sound.
At New Life Office, we have a number of office furniture types that will aid in your efforts to properly direct and contain sound within your office, from office cubicles to several other options. Controlling sound helps employees stay focused and avoid disruptions, but also be available for communication with coworkers to keep the functional roles of the office in place. When it comes to this control, there are two major areas to consider: Sound reduction and sound absorption. Let’s look at some general tips and themes for each.
Sound Reduction
Sound reduction is meant to stop noise from entering the building or a certain space to begin with, eliminating the need for absorbing it altogether. Here are a couple general themes to consider when it comes to sound reduction in private areas of the office:
- Isolated spaces: If there are those in the office who regularly have to be on private phone calls or in quiet meetings, the office should have ideal areas meant for this kind of thing. Cubicles and office booths are the name of the game here for individual employees, allowing for simple setups that leave the space open but also block sound in important ways. For larger meeting areas, consider soundproof glass if noise is an absolute no-no.
- Window inserts: Another great tool for reducing sound from the outside is acoustic window inserts, which are made of acrylic and block up to 70 percent of the noise that may have entered through windows. They also help prevent sound reverberation inside the window. These can be installed in existing buildings with ease, and will not change your aesthetics in any way. These same inserts can also be used to soundproof a specific area like a conference room.
Sound Absorption
Sound absorption, on the other hand, involves properly directing and controlling sound when it is present in the space. Some general tips here:
- Panels and cubicles: Again, wall and ceiling panels can play a big role here. Any noise that enters the space will be mitigated by these, allowing for proper productivity levels.
- White noise: Some offices utilize white noise played through some kind of audio device. This covers sounds that will limit productivity, allowing employees to work without inserting ear buds.
For more on limiting and controlling unnecessary sound within the office or workspace, or to learn about any of our office furniture products or materials, speak to the staff at New Life Office today.