Office Noise- it's a love/hate relationship for most.

Have you ever really listened to all the noise that takes place in your office?

Some of your employees can work through that no problem, like your sales guys, for instance- they were born to multitask, God love ‘em. However, your writers and editors cannot- each clickety-clack, ring, and new conversation distracts them from their detailed work. It’s not their fault- certain types of work require intense concentration.

The above example was actually pretty low-level background noise- you and I both know that most offices can and do escalate more than that. The problem here was that it was inconsistent- it lacked uniformity. Each different, distinct noise presented a new distraction. Surprisingly, though, low-level background noise is not such a bad thing if used correctly. In fact, many workers use white noise to provide a consistent, uniform hum to cover all the little inconsistent, irritating sounds so prevalent in an open office (like above). Similarly, a good number of companies and entities have employed sound masking units to provide uniform coverage for entire offices. The result has been increased productivity and less distracted (read that happier and less stressed) workers.

Who knew this simple machine could be such a challenge?

I have recently noticed an interesting trend in my family  Actually, I am not sure “trend” is really the right word.  It’s more a difference in personality types.

• For example, we moved to the UK last year.  I noticed that our vacuum was not really that helpful.  It liked to grab the pieces of dirt and hair and just move them around to a new spot on the carpet.  Since I had heard several American friends comment on theirs doing the same thing, I just assumed, “Oh, I guess UK vacuums just aren’t as efficient as what I’m used to.”
• Similar thing happened with our washing machine.  Having never operated a UK washer before, I just assumed that all of them took the entire day (and most of the night) to run a cycle.
• I also assumed that the washers just weren’t very good at dispensing the fabric softener (a must-have when you are sans dryer) since I kept seeing blue spots on various lighter garments.

I could go on…but long story short, my husband ran the vacuum and the washer just once and immediately deduced that there was a problem.  It truly never occurred to me to say anything or wonder if there was a problem- suck it up, right?  With a few tweaks and creative ideas, the vacuum actually picked up dirt (I couldn’t believe it!), the washer was replaced due to obvious malfunction, and I was shown exactly which of the three sections fabric softener was meant to go in (the one with a flower, by the way).

My point is this- sometimes we’re so used to a problem that it doesn’t even register as a problem anymore.  We assume we have to live with it the way it is, and there’s nothing we can do except try to have a good attitude about it.  As you think about your business, it may seem as if office noise, especially conversational distraction, is just a part of working in an office.  You may or may not be aware that the average office worker is distracted more than 2 hours very day and that an estimated $600 billion was lost in 2008 to distractions such as these.  It may never occur to you that while office noise is the norm, it is also a problem that can be easily resolved through acoustic treatments.  In fact, there are a few things you need to know about treating office noise.  Commonly referred to as the ABCs of sound masking, you have three options for how you treat intruding sound:

• absorb- through carpet and panels
• block- with walls
• cover- sound masking

Many managers are hesitant to change the aesthetic of the work place or add what could be an allergen, which would be inevitable with absorption techniques.  Similarly, the addition of walls certainly changes the look of an open office (by closing it), as well as drastically reduces collaborative work and the number of workers in a specific area.   That leaves us with covering distractions, or what is known as sound masking.  Sound masking is the corporate super-version of white noise.  Simply put, sound masking provides low-level background noise that drowns competing, intrusive noises.  The most effective sound masking system  is installed directly in the ceiling, providing the most direct, uniform, and precise coverage possible.  While there is an initial investment (the same would be true of absorption and blocking techniques), sound masking is a one-time (meaning no maintenance) solution that enables your employees to tune out the hustle and bustle so typical in an open office, while still maintaining the feel of an open office.

Don’t be like me- when you see a problem, identify it, fix it, and enjoy the benefits- in this case, the benefits would be happier, less stressed, and more productive workers.

Sales are in progress, orders are given, phones are answered.  Throw in the copier and bathroom noise, not to mention the AC switching on and off and various cell phones buzzing with missed calls, voicemails, and unreturned texts and you have a virtual sound symphony.  As interesting as the current gossip may be, a critical problem arises when your workers can’t hear themselves think as a result of all the noise floating around them. 

Sound masking…the solution for open offices

Office managers have realized that fewer doors mean more noise.  Rather than accept that this is an inevitable sign of the times, there is something you can do for your office.  A Cornell study stated that “the most prevalent way of dealing with excessive noise is through the introduction of an artificial masking noise.”  With our direct-field technology, you’ll have the advantages of pre-tuned, uniform sound masking that will cancel unwelcome noise.  The result is that your employees feel less stressed and more able to focus on their work.  And with this economy, more than ever, it’s crucial to be productive.   

Mardex, Justin. (2004) Auditory, visual, and physical distractions in the workplace.  Retrieved August 17, 2009 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/13038258/Auditory-visual-and-physical-distractions-in-the-workplace

Did you know that the average worker fritters away more than 2 hours of his or her 8-hour work day? That’s because the average office noise speaks so loudly that your employees can’t take action because they are so incredibly distracted by what’s going on around them.  Whether it’s their own cell phones buzzing or the guy in the cubicle next door making his weekend plans, today’s work force can’t seem to keep their minds on work.

Sound masking

A simple solution for noisy distractions is sound masking, which buries the off-putting clamor that inevitably accompanies open offices. Rather than just providing noise, a Speech Privacy System takes advantage of direct-field technology to provide uniform sound masking to your work space. It is precise and no-maintenance. Once installed, there is no need to budget for tuning or other maintenance. 

By investing in a Speech Privacy System, your company can provide the ideal work environment, one that enables your employees to concentrate on their work rather than limitless distractions.

Older offices or executive suites (read: offices with walls and doors) are great for achieving speech privacy.  But they’re terrible for collaboration, and when everyone gets to work and shuts themselves in their office, it can be a pretty cold, sterile environment.

On the other hand, open office plans are great for collaboration (to say nothing of getting the latest gossip on your coworkers!).  The chatter can be great for team-building, and is essential for collaboration – one of the primary reasons so many business have moved to wide open areas with low cube walls.

The downside is that there’s little control over how far speech travels in such environments.  If you work in one, you know the drill: you can hear someone speaking two rows away in some places!  Always makes me wonder how much of what I’ve said reaches an unintended audience.

Is Speech Privacy Just Not an Option in Open Offices?

Most workers just endure it, and tell those around them to use “inside voices,” assuming speech privacy is just the price you pay when you work in an open office.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.  It’s actually quite possible to achieve speech privacy in open office spaces – and at a price even small open offices can afford.

How to Achieve Open Office Speech Privacy

Achieving open office speech privacy is really just a matter of covering speech.  If you think about it, it’s not rocket science.  When you’re in a crowded, noisy space, you can’t pick out any one conversation and listen in.  But if you’re in a library, you can often hear a whispered comment from across the room.  So then finding an effective covering sound – known as “sound masking” that isn’t itself distracting or irritating is the key.

If you’re looking to provide open office speech privacy for your workers – or even just for your cubicle, Speech Privacy Systems offers some good solutions for open office workers and cube-farmers.  There’s a great article on that site explaining the ABC’s of office speech privacy in even the most challenging environments.