Did you know that more than half of people who work in an office space are interrupted or distracted by noise five or more times a day? That means that 62.5% of a workday is riddled with interruptions from noise. How can you curb that? With sound solutions to help decrease noise in the workplace. From putting in soundproofing panels or partitions and more individualized solutions like headphones or earplugs, there are many ways to help keep your employees focused on the tasks at hand without worrying about the next time someone sends something to the printer throwing off their flow.
Soundproof Paneling and Partitions
When you’re in an office, you often hear other conversations or meetings. This can be both frustrating and inappropriate. Putting soundproof paneling or partitions into your meeting spaces can cut down on overheard conversations, meetings, or phone calls. When someone can focus on their own work rather than accidentally eavesdropping, everyone wins. You save money on wasted time by keeping your staff concentrating on work. Andy Stern’s can help you with architectural walls to help curb ambient noise.
Thicker Carpeting
The structure of thicker carpeting can help swallow up, or deaden, unwanted and distracting noises. The ambient noises of the office can include phones ringing, doors closing, typing sounds, and more. By using thicker carpeting, you are not only removing the sound of people walking on hard surfaces, but also burying the sounds that can bring people away from their work.
Upholstered Furniture
Upholstered furniture can also help muffle noises by through sheer size and absorption capabilities. Furniture is often heavier, which can block or diminish sound waves around a space, creating a quieter, more focused work environment. Do you need to update your furniture to help create a more unobtrusive workplace? Andy Stern’s has the products you need to keep a quiet space quiet.
White Noise Machines
One of the reasons we get so distracted by sounds is because we can interpret it as something else. Someone else’s phone rings or buzzes, we look at our own. A door closes, we wonder who it was going out or coming in. Having something like a white noise machine will help minimize these sounds, ultimately allowing those people who can easily get off track to stay on track.
Plants
Bring the outside into your office with greenery. Plants are often used to reduce noise whether in commercial, educational, residential, or other spaces. They can also increase morale and air quality. The best plants for indoor noise reduction are:
- Fiddle Leaf Figs
- Peace Lilies
- Norfolk Island Pines
- Baby’s Tears
- Weeping Figs
- Rubber Plants
- Cacti
Individual Solutions
While you can incorporate workplace sound solutions, for many people it’s about ensuring their own distraction-free environments. There are many ways to individually keep the sounds at bay without impacting others around you.
Headphones
Investing in a good pair of noise-reducing headphones is paramount now that people have returned to offices around the world. These headphones can filter out unwanted sounds while allowing the user to only hear those sounds that they need or want to hear. So, if a phone rings and they need to hear it, they will. If an emergency alert sounds, they will hear it. Not to mention the user can listen to music, podcasts, white noise, or other sounds to help them stay focused during the workday.
Earplugs
If you’re looking for something that will keep you focused without noise in your ear from any external source other than those you require, earplugs are a great fit. They can help minimize any tinnitus, fizzing, typing, and other thin background noises that can permeate your eardrums.
Reduce Volume
For the benefit of your coworkers, you can reduce the volume on things like notifications, phone calls, and music while you’re at work. While this is not a solution for everyone, as hearing impairments are disabilities, when one can reduce their volume while still being able to hear well enough without disturbing the people around them, everyone’s productivity increases.
