4 workspace must-haves for noise reduction

One of the major arguments going against open plan workspaces is the amount of noise that people are subjected to when working from there. This doesn't go to say that cubicles or partitions are any better, as they tend to let noise in quite easily.

Workspace noise hampers productivity; but it can also hinder collaboration When people are constantly distracted from their work, they can become deeply frustrated, making them less likely to collaborate and socialise with their co-workers. If this is the case, then modern workspaces are far from fulfilling their mission to drive collaboration and innovation. So, how can flexible workspaces enhance their design to reduce noise without compromising their openness? Here are our solutions:

Informal Meeting Areas

These can be located in various corners around a workspace and they serve as small and casual meeting rooms. It is important for these informal meeting areas to be distanced from workstations and desks in order for them to be effective.

Their purpose is to serve as an alternate in which members can host meetings with clients or alternatively with one another in a way that won’t distract or ‘get in the way of’ other members. If necessary, these areas can also have some privacy by including curtains of movable partitions that allow members to choose between an open informal meeting space or a private one.

Breakout Rooms

Designated space where members and co-workers can blow some off steam. They’re characterized by having comfortable couches, ping-pong tables, and the like. These spaces are where members can bond and forget about work for a little and focus on getting to know one another or give themselves a break.

Having breakout rooms in your workspace will contribute to less noise by encouraging members to go to these areas when they feel like they need to talk, take a break, or relax for a little. Proving a space like this is one way to make sure that members still collaborate and get to know one another without disrupting other members’ work time.

Quiet Zones

Think of these as the quiet zones in libraries. Phone and music free areas that will drive concentration and productivity. As in a library, these spaces can also be open planned and with shared desks, as long as your community is respectful of the norms.

Placing ‘no talk’, ‘do not disturb’, and ‘phones not allowed’ signs can potentially help these spaces be more successful in their purpose.

Phone Booths

We all need to take a call at some point during the day. Phone booths are a great noise reduction solution for flexible workspaces, particularly open plan ones. Phone booths provide the privacy and flexibility that members need in order to speak over the phone or have an on-line meeting.

Could relocating your office better suit your brand?

Moving office is not dissimilar to moving house. It can be stressful and filled with a long list of confusing legalities, but it also presents a wonderful opportunity to reinvent your environment and create a space that is fit for purpose and welcoming.

1. Why move?

Consolidation, lease breaks and bringing teams together under one roof, or simply looking for a cheaper rent, are the most common reasons for relocating. However, we’ve noticed another trend that is emerging among both big and small enterprises – companies are now moving their office spaces with the aim of having a place that better represents them and boosts their brand. As the office space can physically represent the type of business you run, the talent you have, and the clients you work with, it holds within it a major competitive advantage, especially if you do it right.

2. Good office design

Of course, there are the obvious benefits. Office relocation has been known to have a positive impact on streamlining working practices and patterns, improving the company’s overall workplace culture, re-energising staff, and attracting and retaining the best possible talent. However, as with moving home, relocation is not for the faint-hearted. There is a lot of detail to consider and a good office design is fundamental to this process.

Firstly, you will need to have a really good understanding of the business and its brand to work out what’s needed. Often senior management will think that it understands what the business needs and this may very well be the case in some instances, but not always.

3. The idea of change

It is worth getting staff involved and doing the necessary legwork before making any final design decisions. Staff engagement during office relocation has always been important, but be sure you don’t scare people by asking too many questions too early on. Instead, allocate team leaders who can relay the necessary information between staff and the design team that will help build up your plan, while sensitively introducing the idea of change to the workforce.

Additionally, doing a bit of investigative work in the first instance can be really useful in developing a workplace strategy. You wouldn’t move into a new home without understanding the new property or how different rooms could be used for different purposes – the same goes for your new office. Once you’ve properly explored your needs and the new location, a workplace strategy can help to outline the parameters and highlight the best opportunities for change.

4. How much space do you need?

As part of this assessment, you may find that the smallest details can actually make a big difference. You may not actually need more meetings rooms, for example. Usually on average, 10 per cent of booked meeting rooms consist of one person conducting a phone call or trying to concentrate on an individual task. Also most meeting rooms are just too big, with only a third of the seats being used in the space. As a result, a lot of businesses are now shifting to social settings, with meetings taking place in coffee-shop style spaces. The same misjudgement can also apply to the actual layout of your desks. Open-plan tends to be the norm, but people can often struggle to concentrate in open-plan environments and this can result in huge productivity loss.

5. Don’t be a copycat 

A hugely important thing to remember is that your brand is your own. One of the biggest mistakes we have seen businesses make is trying to copy what has already been done. It’s easy to become misled by the values of other businesses. Google might be renowned for having a very ‘cool’ and forward-thinking office space, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that its office design would suit your brand. Every company will have its own approach to working practices and, while it’s good to aspire to the values of a respected brand, that’s very different from actually imitating its operational and organisational culture.