Modern offices are appealing to the eye however they often contain high noise levels. Noise pollution can disrupt creativity, communication, and negatively impact mental health. Looking to improve the acoustics of your office? Well-designed office fitouts take office noise reduction into account and can increase productivity, create an attractive work environment and increase comfort at work.
Our team can help you to minimize the noise in your workspace and maximize efficiency. Get in touch with Future Fitouts today for help in engineering a pleasantly sounding office. Continue reading for our noise reduction and acoustic tips below for some ideas.
Basic improvements for optimizing office noise reduction
Minimizing excessive noise and distractions is important in the modern office. Our team delves into some creative, straightforward and easy actions to take that will help improve your office acoustics.
Green-up your space
Start with adding plants to your office space. Plants are extremely efficient additions to any office. The weeping fig, zanzibars or rubber plants make excellent choices. They reduce noise, are attractive and help improve air quality.
White noise machines
Another effective addition is using a white noise machine. These machines produce neutral frequencies to mask disrupting sounds. Placing these devices near noisy areas can reduce distractions and boost calmness.
Office furniture
Older mobile office furniture can often be noisy and disruptive. Wheels squeak and rattle causing a racket. Replace them with newer pieces to improve office acoustics and contentment.
Larger non-mobile office furniture is also great at helping with office noise reduction too. Fabrics such as chenille, corduroy, and suede help absorb sound. Clever arrangement and spacing of your office furniture can create quiet areas. Additionally, your furniture helps to absorb sound from noisier sections of the office.
Redesigning your office layout for better office noise reduction
The suggestions above are good first steps but when it comes to improving office acoustics. You may consider the benefits of commercial refurbishment services which help reduce costs while boosting the productivity of your office.
Design and layout
The design and layout of your office space can have vast consequences on your employees’ ability to communicate and work efficiently. Employees have different roles and needs. A workspace that has been soundly engineered allows staff to clearly communicate with each other and clients. It reduces excessive noise and disruption. Consider creating a quiet space dedicated exclusively to creativity and privacy. Noisier departments or areas should be separated from quieter ones. An area designated as a loud space can contain noisier operations.
Noise from below
The things above our shoulders are only one factor to consider. Hard flooring in your office can create distracting echoes. Shoes clacking on your hardwood or tile floors creating reverberations that bounce around your work area. Installing dense carpet in highly trafficked areas can reduce the amount of noise being generated and increase employee comfort
Panels and partitions
Such areas can be created using acoustic panelling and partitions. Panels are designed with materials that help absorb sound. Partitions are made from similar materials and block sounds. They can also be used to display art, logos and company branding. Effective, low-key and versatile, they are a great option in any office fitout’s “Office Noise Reduction” kit.
Modern offices are often filled with cubicles and sound privacy is an important aspect of your employee’s well-being. One option to strengthen the sound privacy in your office is to extend the height of your partitions. A simple adjustment to their height can help break up the sounds transmitted around your office.
We hope you found our article on ‘Office Noise Reduction & Office Acoustics for Modern Fitouts’ useful. Understanding the impact of sound in the workspace is important in maintaining a pleasant office, employee efficiency and happiness. If you’d like to discuss options for your next office or commercial fitout, contact the experts at Future Fitouts today.
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