What might be seen by one person as a busy, sociable office, with colleagues who are constantly receiving phone calls or using the coffee machine, might be regarded as a huge source of irritation for another.
When it comes to those who have spent the past few months working from home in a peaceful and quiet environment (at least when the kids are entertained) going back to work has taken some getting used to. The clackety-clack of the keyboards, the radio turned on, a team that decides to hold a spontaneous brain-storming session next to your desk… When you think about it, the time spent considering acoustics in offices is just as crucial as the focus on ergonomics or a clear company identity.
Study: irritation from office acoustics
Following on from a report published by the WHO or World Health Organisation, which stressed that it is not advisable to be frequently exposed to noise, social secretariat Liantis launched an investigation. They surveyed no fewer than 2,316 employees about their experiences with noise at work. It may not surprise you to find out that acoustics were a source of irritation. Four in ten of the office workers asked said they were disturbed by noise on the work floor. The worst culprits were:
- talking colleagues (79.1%),
- people walking around (55.3%),
- noise coming from outdoors (21.8%) and
- the noise from lifts, printers and other devices or installations (18.8%).
Noise at work is terrible for focus
Noise in the workplace is not only irritating, it also means that employees find it harder to concentrate and suffer from stress-related symptoms such as sleep problems and tiredness. When the noise problems rise to extreme levels, they may even suffer damage to their hearing.
(Modular) acoustic partition walls
For over 25 years, Alternativ has specialised in the design of partition walls. We are the ideal partner for creating customised solutions for your working spaces and the corresponding acoustics. The workplace of today is a multifunctional space, with quiet areas, telephone bubbles, concentration boxes, brainstorming spaces and conference rooms. In other words, the space is adapted to the various tasks that employees carry out during the day; from welcoming customers to preparing presentations or answering emails.
In this context, customised, removable modular partition walls are indispensable. They are made of single or double glazing or a solid wood construction which is perfect for noise reduction. There are even mobile acoustic partition walls in our range, which offer you and your team even greater flexibility. There are many advantages with our acoustic partition walls:
- easy installation (you can also rely on us to install and dismantle them),
- attractive design,
- various finishes,
- perfect noise reduction.
Want to find out how we can improve the acoustics in your office or workplace? Contact us for a no-obligation chat.
