Office Noise Solutions For Intelligent Employers

Anyone who’s ever worked in a busy office knows how much office noise and conversational distractions waste company time, decrease productivity, increase the number of avoidable errors, and increase stress levels too. Recent studies prove that the common experiences of office workers are seen all over and provide employers a lot of rationales for investing in those systems which are made to decrease office noise.

Published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, a study by Cornell University researchers discovered that even small quantities of office noise led to higher levels of stress, a decline in motivation, and diminished productivity. An increased stress level, as verified by increased amounts of adrenaline in the bloodstream, is thought to contribute to heart disease and other serious health problems. Not only is there lost productivity, but employers may also be required to cover these related health care expenses.

Another study by the American Society of Interior Designers also demonstrated that employee productivity decreased as ambient noise levels increased. This study found excessive noise especially prevalent in the modern open-office environment where frail cubicles have replaced walled offices, and electronic devices add to the cacophony.

Mixed environments in today’s modern offices are particularly challenging to the modern worker. As an example, take the technical writer, who requires high levels of concentration and focus on the job, who sits in a cubicle not far from a salesman making sales calls. The salesman’s calls interrupt the flow of concentration for the technical writer, decreasing his level of efficiency.

Excessive office noise is a serious problem with many available solutions. Ear plugs or earmuffs, as well as desktop white noise machines are often used by distracted employees. Unfortunately because these devices stifle all sounds, they also tend to reduce overall staff efficiency. Distracting noises can be diminished without muffling important sounds by using headphones with active noise cancelling technology.

The smart solution for reducing office noise levels begins with the design of the office, along with proper sound insulation, or a sound masking system. The last few years have seen prices of these sound masking systems dropping drastically. With the amount of information available in today’s market and the amount of affordable solutions, today’s intelligent employer has no more excuses for not taking care of problems with excessive workplace noise levels.

If you’ve ever worked in a busy office you know how distracting office noise can be. Even low levels of noise slow down productivity, increase stress, and cause employee mistakes. Even conversational distractions at work, such as the person talking in the next cubicle, are a negative factor. Employees might use white noise machines, but since they stifle all sound they also tend to reduce staff efficiency. The smart solution for reducing noise begins with the design and sound insulation of the office. Employers can really not afford to let their office be noisy and distracting.