5 Tips for Good Acoustics in the Workplace
Try closing your eyes for one minute and listen to all the noises in the office.Colleagues chatting, the coffee machine bubbling, the sliding of elevator doors, the radio playing, a colleague with clicking heels, a can of soda opened, murmurs, loud laughter, a meeting, two video calls, the phone ringing,…
Still not as quiet as thought. Open spaces with several islands are nice, but often produce a lot of noise. In a noisy office it is harder to concentrate. This can quickly lead to annoyance and less productivity. When does a little noise turn into disturbing noise? That is different for everyone. Fortunately, small adjustments can make everyone feel good in the workplace. Wondering how you can improve the acoustics? We give 5 tips.
1. Think in compartments
Not everyone can easily stay in ‘the zone’ in a noisy office. Reduce the stress level of your employees by using concentration rooms. Create alternative solutions such as focus rooms, call rooms, lounge areas and brainstorming spaces. Every employee has different needs. Time to think out of the box or just in the box.
2. Choose soft floors and curtains
Hard floors are convenient to maintain, but are disastrous for good acoustics. By using acoustic floor coverings such as a rug, you reduce the sound of rolling office chairs and footsteps. Combine carpet with acoustic curtains and you’ll notice a big difference immediately. Goodbye noise pollution and hello extra privacy.
3. Walk up the walls
If you’re easily distracted by ringing phones, chatter at the coffee machine, noisy meetings or internal project discussions, acoustic wall panels can really be a breath of fresh air. Our custom-made upholstered walls provide privacy as well as improved acoustics. So that work can take place in peace and quiet and (video) meetings can take place intelligibly.
4. More than lighting
Combine two things: lighting and acoustics. When selecting lighting, look at how absorbent the material is. Our acoustic lighting is made of recycled felt. Light up your space in an ecological way. Available in different models and colors. Lighting does not have to be boring.
5. Het zit ’m in de kleine dingen
Met simpele oplossingen kan je veel bereiken en kan je de akoestiek op kantoor in no-time verbeteren. Ga aan de slag met accessoires om nog meer geluid te absorberen en verdere weerkaatsing van geluid te doorbreken. Denk hierbij aan grote planten, een boekenkast, vilten opbergdozen en geluiddempende schilderijen aan de muur.
5. It’s all in the little things
You can achieve a lot with simple solutions and improve office acoustics in no time. Get to work with accessories to absorb more sound and break up further sound reverberation. Consider large plants, a bookcase, felt storage boxes and sound absorbing paintings on the wall.