Enhance Office Acoustics: What is the Standard for Sound Masking?

If you send a survey around your office asking what employees think about the acoustic environment, you may be surprised by the feedback. Many modern offices are not designed with acoustics in mind.

Common factors that can affect acoustic environments include:

• Suspended ceilings
• Open-plan spaces
• Glass panel walls and doors
• Exposed brickwork
• Floorboards

All of these elements mean that there is very little sound absorption or noise insulation. While a 'too quiet' office is also not recommended, one that is too noisy can have many implications.

If employees are constantly distracted by noise, productivity and quality of work will decrease.

Employee wellbeing will also be impacted. Noisier environments can be particularly stressful for neurodivergent or introverted employees. That’s because they are more likely to feel overwhelmed by sensory stimuli. This could affect your ability to retain diverse talent.

Employee productivity and wellbeing can be enhanced with the right acoustic environment.

To create a more inclusive, comfortable and productive workplace, experts recommend that noise levels are kept to around 40 decibels.

The sound level of speech in open-plan offices is around 60 decibels. Overhearing conversations is often reported as one of the most disruptive noises in the workplace.

Sound masking helps make conversations less audible without compromising the ability to communicate.

For intellectual, deep-focus work, 40 decibels is recommended. This can be achieved with sound masking.

Sound masking creates an ambient sound that operates at around 45 decibels. This helps blend distracting noises into the background. Sound masking is no louder than the hum of a fridge and is often likened to the sound of air conditioning or airflow. It creates a comfortable acoustic environment where human speech isn’t as intelligible.

The sound masking solution can be installed discreetly in your ceiling, and you can control the volume and frequency from a panel.

Contact the specialists at Remark Group. You can also book a demonstration at our head office, so you can experience the solution for yourself and the positive difference it can make for an office environment.