I can’t think straight in a noisy environment. Maybe I’m just too nosey but my brain seems to try to listen to everything at once whilst I am actually just trying to focus on writing an email! Or even worse when I’m trying to hear someone on the phone in a loud office. Headphones do help in both these situations but their not always appropriate and that doesn’t address the issue of poor communication in the office due to bad acoustic office solutions.
This problem is always the worst in slick modern offices (Think exposed concrete, plywood and bean bags). Those suspended ceiling tiles in traditional offices may be ugly but they’re not bad for absorbing sound!
That’s the thing, all these hard surfaces just bounce the sound around. Like when you view an empty house or flat it sounds empty and echoey but when you put your soft furnishings in, curtains up and rug down suddenly it sounds like home. So how can you have the same effect without ruining the office aesthetic with a sofa and curtains?
Enter acoustic panels, these generally blend into environments so well that you don’t really think about them, that our they look like they are there for form not function. The Royal Albert Hall acoustic panels have become an architectural feature.
But they actually serve an important purpose by absorbing sound vibrations and reducing the amount that bounces off your walls. Have you ever been in a trendy bar or restaurant where it seems like the sound is just getting louder and louder? This isn’t (always) because of people increasing their volume after a couple of drinks. It can be down to reverberation issues, as the space fills out with people and noise begins to bounce off the walls and reverate, people need to talk louder to be heard over the din. As they talk louder the problem worsens to the point that people are practically shouting to be heard. Exactly the same can occur in your office.
Here’s a few stats that might surprise you:
70% of office worker are not satisfied with the sound in their office
90% of costs associated with the average office are staff costs
6% estimated reduction in productivity in a noisy environment
Following these stats, if your annual office costs are £100,000 over 10 years you could be losing £54,000 in lost productivity due to noise issues.
Fortunately, many cases of unwanted noise come down to reverberation issues that are a relatively low-cost fix. We recommend installing our Still Note panels. They are some of the most cost-effective panels in the UK and do not sacrifice performance or aesthetics. They are a UK class-A absorber (the best). We manufacture them from more than 60% recycled plastic bottles, they have excellent fire ratings and unlike other panels, they are made from non-irritating products and even offer an amount of thermal insulation.
Whether you’re installing yourself or need a professional installer, if you’re looking to improve your office acoustics get in touch with us today.