Is that how you would describe your business?

Distracted workers are not engaged workers.

The economy has cost many workers their jobs and most businesses a big chunk of their profits.  It’s no one’s fault really, just a part of doing business.  However, very few businesses have the resources to just coast and wait for everything to get better.  As managers have taken a deeper, more penetrating look at their budgets and productivity, they have discovered a shocking truth- the average worker loses a quarter of his work day to distractions.  That same worker is interrupted more than 70 times a day, and some studies show that once distracted, it takes half an hour to get on track again. That lack of focus and attention to detail is a handicap few companies can afford.  A simple solution is to get rid of the distraction- it’s easier than you think.

Sound Masking & How it Works

Rather than re-design your entire office, you can install a simple, but effective sound masking system. Similar to the concept of “white noise,” sound masking systems employ compact speakers in areas where speech is heard to add low level background sound to an environment. This low level noise fills in the spectrum of sound around building occupants to create an almost undeterminable low background signal, thus drowning out undesired speech or distracting sounds. Contrary to what you may think, sound masking systems use as low a level of sound as is necessary for covering, and ultimately are not any louder than the gentle “whoosing” sounds typical of an air conditioning system.  Through sound masking, the typical open office noises are covered so that employees can maintain steady work and avoid the pitfalls of distractions.  What could your company do with a quarter more productivity?

Did you know that some workers have to actually leave work to be productive?  They find that leaving all the office distractions behind and working from home or even at Starbuck’s.  Phenomenal- having to escape work to actually work.  Now why is that?  Well, the average worker in an open-style office:

• Is distracted more than 2 hours a day
• Gets interrupted more than 70 times per day
• Struggles to stay focused more than 30 minutes at a time
• Suffers from stress and fatigue
• Experience high levels of stress
• Made 40 percent fewer attempts to solve difficult problems
• Make only half as many ergonomic adjustments to their workstations as did their colleagues in quiet offices, resulting in an increase in repetitive strain injuries (such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome) and workers’ comp claims.

Go figure they’d have to leave the cramped, not to mention distracting, quarters of the cubicle farm to be productive.

So what can you do about it?

Your job as a manager is to minimize distractions so your employees can maximize their work.  You have several options: the quiet game, addition of walls and sound-absorbing paneling, or covering sound with sound masking.  I think we can agree that the quiet game is out, though always a fun choice.  Adding walls and paneling is expensive, doesn’t always line up with design aesthetics, and also contributes to VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and/or the collection of dust mites or allergens.  That leaves us with sound masking- an invisible noise solution (like white noise) tucked away in the ceiling.  Most sound masking systems are easy to install and very low-maintenance.

In times like these, every hour counts.  Survey your options and help your employees return to work.