The best part about the open office plan is the ability to freely and easily communicate with others throughout the workday for collaborative tasks. The worst part? Noise. Whether you want to hear different conversations going on throughout the day or not, in this new office design trend, it can be very one-dimensional unless you take the right precautions. So! We can help you keep the balance with this useful tip. On the 9th Day of Office Tips, EthoSource said to me… Fa la la la Focus on Acoustics!!
One of the biggest downfalls to the open office is the disruptions employees must face due to noisy coworkers and surrounding distractions. Even if you enjoy mingling with coworkers or working in a collaborative environment, there comes a time when you just need some quiet to focus. Even if that’s not true and you thrive in chaos, your neighbor may not feel the same way. One of the best ways to get the modern office environment you’ve envisioned without sacrificing your employees’ ability to get their work finished is to add acoustics!
Acoustic Partition Walls. There are a variety of heights and colors available to match exactly what you need. Certain touches such as up-mount glass or tiles can also reinforce your modern look. They can also come on casters or solid bases, depending on whether or not you’ll need to move or reconfigure your space more than once.
Acoustic Ceiling Panels: These applications can be subtle but very helpful for deflecting sound and keeping a space’s noise minimal. On the contrary, it can also benefit the space by allowing you to add an artistic tough to the room. You can lower high ceilings, incorporate additional lighting and design elements.
Acoustic Cubicle Panels. Herman Miller Ethospace is a frame and tile cubicle system, as well as one of the most flexible and durable systems in the world. The panel and accessory options are endless, including acoustic panels. These panels can be covered in your choice of fabric color and placed in any orientation within your space. Mix in laminate tiles or tackable tiles as well to eliminate surrounding noise while still making the most of your space’s accessories and tools. These tiles are great for personalized sound management solutions if not all your employees or departments have an issue with distractions and noise.
For more information on Ethospace acoustic panels and other options, click the helpful links below.
Additional tips:
Adding carpet to a space is a natural noise reducer. It obviously adds a layer of padding to an otherwise hard and noisy surface, but the woven materials also trap noise as well. White noise is another option to drown out more distracting sounds like conversations and voices. The faint sounds of flowing water, light music or even a a dehumidifier and/or space heater may provide just the subtle undertones to help you ignore the sounds of others working.