How to eliminate noise in an open plan office

Offices with large open plan workspaces to make the most of room space are becoming increasingly popular. Although this office layout has proven to have many advantages, noise levels are increasing every day as more people sit together, take phone calls and have general conversations.

Office furniture

Noise can be one of the most distracting factors in the working environment, which can lead to stress and a lower work ethic. For most people, having a quiet space is key to a more proactive approach to work.

It has therefore become vital for office furniture suppliers to introduce a range of noise reduction products to create wall in open plan office spaces. Our acoustic screens are a good example of this. The screens are easily installed on top of or around desks and have a high acoustic insulation effect with sound-absorbing padding. The front screen can also be height-adjusted to allow work areas to be separated and help you increase your concentration.

Office furniture for bosses

The concern with providing 'own space' in the office can be that you need large screens that start to separate desks and take up more space, thus losing the open feel. Our desk dividers are a cost effective yet stylish solution that still maintains the open plan office feel, but provides some much needed privacy for work, while still saving valuable office space.

It is also important to consider other day-to-day situations such as meetings, personal calls or group work where a separate, more private space can be called together. Often purpose-built fixed rooms are used, but these can be restricted, take up more space than is normally required and can result in being 'closed off' from the rest of the office.

Our Acoustic office pods offer a solution for standing space with little or no fixtures and can be easily repositioned around the office. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit every need, whether it's a phone booth or a larger multi-person booth. Acoustic pods can provide the privacy needed for those more confidential conversations, while still creating the inclusive feel of an open space without taking up too much space.

Office furniture areas often require separate, and sometimes competing, acoustic performance considerations, so the facilities manager needs to make acoustic choices based on how the space will be used. Within meeting rooms, speech intelligibility should be high, while for privacy purposes, sound transmission outside the space should be discouraged. However, clarity should be low for most people at desks and in shared spaces.