Does worrying about the acoustics of your office sound a little strange?

This is a field that has come about because of the current trend for open offices.

In open plan offices, tiny noises made by lots of employees can become noise pollution. They can impact your employee’s concentration, creativity, and even their productivity.
The best and easiest way to overcome this problem is with acoustic products.

 

Why do you Need Acoustic Products?

 

In most offices these days, you’re more likely to see rooms filled with desks without barriers between them than cubicles. This encourages collaboration and innovation, makes the most of small spaces, and boosts creativity.

However, there is a downside to this trend and that’s the noise. Without barriers between desks, employees have absolutely no privacy. They’re also at the mercy of every squeak and thump that everyone else in the room makes.

Here are just some of the noises sources in modern workplaces:

- Traffic noise
- Talking, chewing, coughing, sighs, sniffles or laughing from colleagues
- Mechanical noises from air conditioners
- Electronic noises from printers, keyboards, and computers
- General city noises like construction work
- Noises from general movement in the office like walking or moving in a squeaky chair

 

The Growing Noise Problem

 

This problem is bigger than you might think. A recent report has shown that the noise and interruptions of open-plan offices leave many workers stressed, unmotivated, and struggling to perform tasks that need high levels of concentration. This is an obvious barrier to productivity and work satisfaction.

This level of constant noise also increases stress and anxiety at work. It’s also an often-ignored cause of distractions.

The easiest solution to this is to go back to cubicles, which will give employees their privacy and a quieter workspace. However, this may also diminish creativity and innovation. But now there’s another way with acoustic designs.

 

How to Reduce Office Noise

 

There are a variety of tactics that you can try to reduce noise in your office. This is a balancing act. You want to reduce disruptive noise while not removing all noise completely, because silent offices can be just as demotivating.

Some ideas for this include:

- Soundscaping, where you use nature sounds to cover less pleasant sounds
- Allocating quiet areas
- Using plants to absorb noise and provide privacy
- Creating privacy booths for deep work
- Choosing acoustic office furniture
- Covering floors with material that muffles sound
- Readjusting the layout of your room to minimise distractions
- Choosing wall materials that help to muffle sound
- Utilising acoustic ceiling baffles or suspended acoustic objects
- Setting up screens to create private areas
- Limiting the use of mobile phones at work

More often than not, workplaces need to employ a variety of strategies to address noise problems. And one of the most helpful and neglected strategies is the use of acoustic office furniture.

 

A Guide to Acoustic Furniture

 

If you’ve tried a few strategies and they aren’t enough, then it’s time to consider acoustic office furniture. This type of furniture comes in specific sizes to suit any workspace and fabrics that reduce noise. They can also create private areas in an open-plan workspace, giving workspaces the best of both worlds.

KE-ZU has several alternatives in acoustic furniture designed and crafted by architects from 14six8, a brand that provides acoustic solutions made from sustainable PET materials.

What distinguishes this brand from others is that the signature of creative freedom co-exists with everyday functionality to inspire any environment to excel, whether suspended from the ceiling, resting on the floor to create a division between spaces or attached to walls for texture with a function.

14six8’s acoustic collection explores the reaction and interaction of pieces designed not only as furniture but as art that stir the emotions of the spaces they inhabit and enables designers to be the artist with panelling as their canvas.

In this collection, acoustic furniture comes in a variety of styles and types, including:

Acoustic Pods

 

 
Image above (from left to right) featuring 14six8 products: HIDE /  MUTE

Acoustic pods are small, privacy booths that work to screen off a single workstation. They sit neatly on a desk or table and are made from material that has sound absorbing qualities.
With an acoustic pod, everyone has their own private space to work. And they’re designed to be lightweight and mobile, making them easy to move. Some of them are also shockingly cute!

 

Acoustic Baffles

 

  
Image above (from left to right) featuring 14six8 products: PLUG /  T-GRID

Acoustic baffles help reduce sound from above. They fit over the ceiling to add visual interest while decreasing sound reverberation.
When used correctly, baffles can add design impact to your room while increasing its sense of comfort and welcome at the same time. They also come in a variety of styles from subtle and blending into the environment or feature designs.

 

Domes

 

 
Image above (from left to right) featuring 14six8 products: HARMONY / SYNERGY

 

Acoustic domes are a type of three-dimensional shell that hover high over a single desk or table. They act as a sound barrier without acting as a barrier to movement. They also look like artistic umbrellas hovering in mid-air, adding a creative kick to any workspace.
Domes also come in larger sizes, perfect for private meetings or office hangouts. This is a stylish way to create private rooms within a larger workspace.

 

Clouds

 

 
Image above (from left to right) featuring 14six8 products: DNA / DEW

Acoustic clouds are the ultimate suspended acoustic system solution. They’re suspended from the ceiling and are customizable to fit into any type of workspace or room from reception rooms to galleries.
But these indoor clouds don’t just muffle sound. They also add visual interest and turn rooms into artistic statements.

 

The Takeaway

Acoustic solutions use the latest in modern design and artistic vision to bring style, privacy, and quiet to busy workspaces. In these days of shared workspaces, remote-working, and open-plan offices, they’re an easy and stylish addition to any modern, creative workspace.

Acoustic office furniture comes in a variety of styles and types, from chairs and tables to futuristic pods and domes. Best of all, they’re completely adaptable to your needs and workspace.