Is It Possible for an Office to Be Too Quiet?

Acoustic conditions have been noted as a leading source of dissatisfaction in the workplace. This can range from a lack of privacy resulting in fear of having confidential information overheard by colleagues, to employees struggling to focus due to high levels of noise.

When compared to other elements that contribute to overall comfort such as office layout, temperature and general cleanliness, noise levels came out as a leading factor that can affect wellbeing and productivity in the workplace.

Many UK workers cite noise as a hindrance to productivity. In fact, 54% of UK office workers reported that noise was an issue at work in Remark’s Noise and Wellbeing at Work survey.

From telephones ringing, to conversations via conferencing platforms like Microsoft Teams, or people talking, noise offers plenty of distractions in the workplace.

However, it’s not just having too much noise that’s a problem. An office that is too quiet means employees may struggle to discuss personal or professional issues which could create a barrier to communication.

A lack of communication and productivity usually results in less work being completed and projects being finished to a lower standard.

But what can you do about it?

Sound masking is an effective solution that masks speech and background conversations.

With sound masking it’s all about getting the balance right. At Remark, our sound masking solutions create gentle, consistent sound in the background that are specially engineered to diffuse echoes and reduce intelligibility of human speech.

Conversations will fade into the background, rather than be sounds that your colleagues are tuning into. Facilitating higher levels of privacy and less distractions ensures a more comfortable work environment.

By matching the frequencies found in human speech, sound masking provides a non-invasive sound experience.

The innovative acoustic solution can be installed into almost any architectural concept and can be intertwined with natural sounds, forming our soundscapes acoustic treatment, to create a fully immersive environment for employees to unwind and for improved workplace wellbeing.

Soundscapes are a non-looping acoustic treatment, designed for wellbeing. The solution adds biophilic sounds from our natural world - such as including bird song flowing water and even cityscapes designed to create a more comfortable working environment. Typically this is intertwined with sound masking, which blocks out sounds like talking and is a great option for open plan offices and meeting rooms.

Using a combination of sound masking and soundscapes are a way to keep both the extroverts and introverts in your office or workplace happy. While extroverts have a higher tolerance to noise, introverts tend to prefer quieter, calmer environments.

Controlling the levels of noise in the workplace should help you improve your colleague’s wellbeing and overall productivity. Sound masking and soundscape solutions put you in control of workplace distractions.

Our solution helps you get the balance right. To learn more about our sound masking and soundscape technology, you can give us a call to discuss your requirements, or book a demonstration.