Distracted at Work
Do you struggle with distraction at work? Chances are you do. In fact, most people are distracted more than 2 hours every day. What could you do with 2 more hours every day? Now, what could your business do with 2 more hours per employee??
3 Uses of White Noise in the Office
How do you regain lost time in the office? Well, you can’t ban cell phones and texting, but you can take control of all the noise heard round the office. Rather than try to control noise, why not moderate it? With white noise, you actually add noise to tune out noise. By adding low-level unstructured noise from all over the sound spectrum, you allow your brain to tune out potentially distracting sounds and focus in on work. Here are 3 common uses of white noise.
Choosing which form of white noise to implement is largely dependent upon how large a group you need coverage for. Ideally, every office would install sound masking, thus protecting the time of every employee. However, not all businesses have a budget to cover that and some companies have opted for individual systems, such as the Sonet. The main difference is how much space is treated. It’s up to you to decide what your company needs and how valuable your time is.
Are your employees disengaged?
Do your employees struggle to stay focused or to meet deadlines? Most workers are distracted more than 2 hours every day. It could be co-worker chatter, phone calls, constant computer correspondence, and the list goes on forever. Regardless of the cause, most workers feel frustrated by the end of the day, having accomplished little on their to-do list, knowing that tomorrow will likely be no better. For some, it’s a monotonous cycle of chasing a seemingly elusive goal or deadline, while for others, it means extra nights and weekends and less time with family and friends. You can see the problem.
2 Tips for Increasing Focus and Productivity
Part of increasing productivity is making the office more work-friendly. Here are 2 easy ways to do just that.
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It's important for workers to feel like they have time to work and not to be distracted.
Time Blocking. Some go-getter, self-motivated employees will do this for themselves, but most will simply get caught in the rut of feeling unproductive and therefore living a self-fulfilling prophecy. You should encourage time blocking for your staff. Whether it’s an office-wide plan or open to individualization, allow your employees the opportunity to set certain boundaries on when they’re going to work on what. For instance, it may be that the first hour of the day is spent checking and prioritizing emails and messages. Then, the next 2 hours are spent isolated in a conference room for a specific project. Or, it could be that certain teams need to meet at a mutually agreed upon time and they set up in a private room. Whatever the routine is, every employee needs to know that he or she will have time to get to their actual work.
- Sound Masking. It’s one of those counter-intuitive things, kind of like children sleeping well at night often makes them more likely to sleep well during the day. Similarly, adding noise to a noisy office actually helps your brain focus. By adding soft unstructured noise to the office, the brain is able to focus on that consistent noise instead of the millions of diverse, and therefore distracting, sounds surrounding them. The result is more engaged, productive workers.
Regardless of the economy, workers are distracted. So, in these tough times, loss of productivity hurts even more. Enable your workers to get focused by allowing them freedom to schedule out blocks of time and by decreasing office noise.
Privacy & Confidentiality
So often we complain about noise problems in relation to the accompanying distractions and loss of productivity. While noise-related distraction is indeed a problem (since it costs businesses $600 billion a year), so are breaches of confidentiality. There are many businesses and facilities that require privacy and a certain degree of trust and mutual respect.
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There are times when privacy is essential.
Doctors’ offices
- Hospitals
- medical facilities
- Boardrooms
- Churches
- Counseling
- Government
- Military
- Call Centers
Whether a patient is sharing personal history details, a rape victim is reliving her trauma through much-needed counseling, a board of directors is planning its next move, or a caller is giving credit card information, each party needs to feel that their words are safeguarded from the wrong ears.
Sound Masking
In addition to noise coverage, sound masking provides a high level of privacy and confidentiality, as measured by the Privacy Index. Rather than mute the conversations taking place through highly distracting means, low-level white noise is added through speakers mounted directly in the ceiling tiles. The white noise renders the conversations unintelligible to the degree that every party is covered ad protected.
For better understanding, think of how much a flash light stands out in a dark room. However, if you turn on even low lighting, the beam of the flash light is much less noticeable. Similarly, by adding some low-level noise to the atmosphere, the important conversations taking place are much less likely to be overheard. Adding the right amount of noise ensures privacy.
Rather than whisper, look over shoulders, or altogether decline having sensitive speech, why not try sound masking?
August 17th, 2010 in
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Any boss that is even halfway decent wants their workers to be able to work to their full potential and desires to help them reach that potential through any available means. Not only is that good for the people in the company, its also good for the company’s bottom line. People working to their full potential are not only more productive, but also happier and less likely to look elsewhere for work. Have you ever wondered how to help your employees in this area? What is keeping your workers from being more productive? Have you ever asked them? You won’t know if you don’t ask.
Instead of hiring a company masseuse, a few effective ergonomic adjustments could be made. (Although a masseuse would be nice....)
Some common reasons for lack of productivity are distractions. In fact, studies have shown that distractions cause up to 2 hours a day of lost productivity which costs companies $759 billion a year. So, one of the ways that would (hopefully) make a noticeable difference is to cut down on those distractions.
Ask your workers what is distracting them and then think of ways to help them overcome those. Is office noise and conversations constantly breaking their train of thought? Installing sound masking could help with that. Are constant emails and new email notifications a problem? Some software that minimizes that would help. Perhaps by the end of the day your employees shoulders and wrists are aching from sitting in front of the computer all day. A few ergonomic adjustments could go a long way in solving that and allowing them to focus on their working instead of tight muscles.
You won’t know how to implement effective solutions unless you know what the problem is. So, go ahead, ask your employees how you can help them work better and with less stress.
We recently interviewed Nick Barber from Sigma Relocation about his experience with sound masking in his call center. His business has benefited from it greatly. He mentioned a positive change that occurred during the course of the interview that I found interesting because I hadn’t thought about it before. Perhaps you haven’t either.
Nick noticed that his employees were not socializing as much during working hours. Because conversations could not be heard more than 10 to 15 feet away (unlike before, when they could be heard all the way across the 4500 square foot call center), people were not getting into so many conversations, and were consequently experiencing less distraction and able to work more. Nick had several employees tell him they feel they are now more focused and efficient during the work day. “I think we’re covering up the noise that’s there, but I think there’s less noise to begin with because people aren’t talking quite as much.”
So not only does white noise reduce distraction by taking away a lot of the common things that distract people, but it also lowered the overall volume of the call center because people were not talking and interacting as much since they were working. People working more with less distraction? Sounds like sound masking was effective here.
Could you use sound masking in your space to help your employees focus and work better?
There are two problems almost every office experiences: office noise (aka distractions) and poor ergonomic set-up. In order to get more out of your employees, it’s important to minimize distractions, while maximizing ergonomics.
Office Noise
As a manager, it should be no surprise to you that office noise is a problem. 70% of employees agree that less office noise would help them be more productive, while not nearly that percentage of managers were actually aware of this problem. So, maybe office noise as having an adverse effect on your bottom line is a surprise to you. Either way, it’s essential to cut back on the distraction levels so that your workers can focus on their tasks.
Ergonomics
The next obstacle to hurdle is the task of making appropriate ergonomic adjustments. Sadly, it’s a fact that distracted and disengaged workers do not consider ergonomic principles as a solution for work-related stress. Thus, here are some examples of which ergonomic adjustments are the most important to help ease work-related stress and repetitive stress injuries, with the overall goal of keeping workers healthy, happy, and heartily at work.
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Work-related stress is all too common.
Productive workstations
. Productive workstations are clutter-free and keep all essential and frequently-used items no farther than arm’s reach.
- Workstation set-up. The monitor should be at eye level and about 20 inches away from the face. The keyboard and mouse should be on the same surface and next to each other. The user should be able to fit under the desk without squeezing to do so, with feet flat on the floor, and with the back well-supported.
- Good ergonomic posture. No part of the worker’s body should be bent awkwardly at any time, nor should the worker have to overextend to reach anything, including any piece of equipment.
- Ergonomic products. Adjustability is the key word here. The desk, chair, and even the keyboard/mouse should fit the user. Products that fit well are comfortable and help the user make the most of his or her time. Ergonomic keyboards and mice, as well as desks and chairs, are ideal for a productive work environment.
Your bottom line rests on this bottom line: being productive is all about using time well, which includes reducing unnecessary distractions and even stress and sick days. A productive worker is efficient and ergonomically balanced, and most workers aren’t equipped on their own to be those things. It is your job, as the manager, to see to their needs.
August 10th, 2010 in
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What is white noise?
The term ‘white noise’ is derived from the same concept as white light. White light includes all the colors of the spectrum. In the same way, white noise includes sound from the entire audible spectrum. With today’s technology, white noise is specifically focused on the sound range of human speech.
The first question most people as is how adding more noise will help them concentrate better. Have you ever been in a dark room where there is a flashing light, like a cell phone or a child playing with a flashlight? That little light can be very distracting and irritating. But if you turn on the bright room lights, you hardly even notice the smaller light anymore.
Sound can work the same way; distracting noises can be hidden by the adding general background sound. This can cover the distractions of conversations, street noises, and other intrusive sounds.
Does white noise really work?
Although the science behind it may seem confusing and far fetched, the application is all it claims to be. Government agencies were the first to apply this technology because of its effectiveness. Other industries have also greatly benefited from the privacy and productivity white noise can provide. The result is less distraction, greater productivity, and increased confidentiality.
Why use white noise?
White noise helps cover distracting or irritating sounds. It can be used in numerous situations where you need to get away from the noises.
Less distraction at work – A local white noise machine masks conversations and other office noise around you, helping you better concentrate on your work. Sound masking installed in the entire office space will benefit the entire office.
Improved privacy and confidentiality – Many office situations need confidentiality: (Human Resources, Government Services, Medical Facilities, Counseling, etc. Sound masking improves privacy in an entire office complex. It uses white noise on a larger scale to make human speech unintelligible to those outside the immediate conversation.
Less interrupted sleep – Using a sound machine while sleeping will cover up the jolting sounds from neighbors or street noise, letting you sleep longer with less interruptions.
Sound therapy for tinnitus – Some sound therapies have been proven to lessen the discomfort caused by ‘ringing in your ears’ or tinnitus.
White noise can help you increase your productivity at work and experience more restful sleep at night. With the increasing availability of free white noise generators and portable sound machines, everyone should give this technology a try. The benefits are definitely worth it!
- C. Sumner
August 9th, 2010 in
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White noise is the art of using consistent background noise to cover up distracting sounds in an environment. This technology can be priceless when you need to concentrate and ignore the disruptive noise around you. It helps create an environment with less distractions and greater productivity.
Here are a few of the ways you can utilize white noise in your daily life.
1. For work. On average, a person loses up to two hours of work time each day due to distractions. The constant conversations and ringing phones can significantly lower your productivity. White noise at your desk can help you tune out these distractions. Better yet, sound masking throughout the office space can provide this benefit to the entire office.
2. For sleep. Do you ever have trouble falling (or staying) asleep because of annoying sounds? Using a sound machine while sleeping will mask the annoying sounds from neighbors or street noise, helping you sleep better with fewer interruptions.
3. For kids. Sound machines can work wonders with kid’s sensitive sleep schedules. Maybe your children are sharing a room for the first time, or you want them to easily sleep through the noise of your dinner party. White noise can ensure good, uninterrupted sleep for your little ones, which means better sleep for you, too.
4. For relaxation. After a long day at work, you want to come home to relax and unwind, but a barking dog across the street is interrupting your reverie. You can relax to the sounds of nature found on many household sound machines. Enjoy the sound of the sea as you sit down to read a good book.
5. For tinnitus. Ringing in your ears, also known as tinnitus can be very distracting and uncomfortable. The irritation caused by tinnitus can be lessened though the use of sound therapy, letting you relax.
Personal white noise provides a more focused environment, free of intrusive and distracting noise. This can increase your productivity at work, or provide you with a more restful night’s sleep. Sound masking can also be utilized throughout a open office space to provide better productivity and confidentiality for everyone. Try sound masking for yourself, and begin enjoying the benefits of improved concentration and better sleep!
- C. Sumner
August 9th, 2010 in
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My family just moved overseas, and we had a three hour layover in Amsterdam’s Schipol airport exactly during my children’s nap time. I had heard that there was a great lounge for kids in the airport from some other travelers, so my husband and I set out to find it. We were so pleased with what we discovered. Nutricia (a baby food company) had sponsored this lounge. It was wonderfully designed and so appreciated in the midst of our travels. There was no blatant advertising anywhere. Just a few small signs saying “Baby Care Lounge by Nutricia.” Not only did it offer six cribs for weary little travelers, but also a place for bathing, changing, and heating up baby’s food. The only thing that could have made it any better was some sound masking to cover up the noises the other families were making. Even without blatant advertising, I can tell you that I would be more likely to buy this brand of baby food because of the great place they offered us in the airport those few hours.
Another experience I had with an effective brand space was a mother’s lounge in Tesco Supermarkets. They offered a private place to feed baby, a selection of their brand of diapers for changing the baby, and some other activities for a toddler to do while mommy is feeding the baby. I will admit to going back to that store numerous times in part because of that one room in their store.
Is there some way you could utilize a brand space to promote your company or product? It doesn’t have to be child- related to be effective. The examples I mentioned above are empathetic brand spaces–spaces used to help a person out. Some other types are brand spaces used for trying things out or for learning things. The one that comes to mind first for me are Apple Stores. Not only are you able to hold and use all their gadgets in the stores, they also offer free workshops about their products and how to utilize them in their customer’s lives.
Think about how you and your company are uniquely capable of helping people and create an experience based on that. It’s very effective advertising, and you know word travels!
I found the following excerpt from The Sunday Times and was fairly amused.
What lengths would you go to to deal with office noise?
I work in an open-plan office which is shared by several disparate teams. What the team on the other side of my partition actually do[es] I know not, other than that it appears to be something hilarious as their conversations are frequently punctuated by loud laughter that reverberates around the entire floorplace. I’ve tried looking daggers at them whenever a particularly noisy guffaw interrupts my train of concentration, but I am tempted to ask of them: “If there’s a joke, let’s all share it!” Can you suggest an alternative approach?
Louisa Radice, Exeter
Stunning Stentor! Lord of the loud-mouths. Red ear-plugs, as worn by tractor drivers? Wax from the chemist? To work in open-plan one has to cultivate an invisible carapace that cuts out extraneous noise. It is the job of the manager to cut out stentorian uproar that distracts others from their work. For Puck’s sake do not look daggers. You will make your neighbours laugh louder, and get yourself a reputation as a spoilsport and a prude.
I have to agree. While the complaint is noteworthy, the response is dead-on: It is the job of the manager to cut out stentorian uproar that distracts others from their work.
Attention, all managers!
Did you know that your employees look to you to solve office noise issues? The average employee loses more than 2 hours every day because of distractions like the one described above. Interestingly, most employees do not appreciate this loss. Your job is to keep your workers focused- not by micro-managing, but through reasonable means, such as sound masking. Sound masking is the use of white noise to help your employees tune out irritating distracting noises so they can focus on their work. Many sound masking systems can be installed directly in the ceiling tiles themselves, so while highly effective, they are practically invisible.
Distractions cost businesses over $500 billion every year, possibly as much as $700 billion. What do you want to bet your company has a piece of that?
