In recent years, traditional workplaces with separated spaces to work are slowly being replaced by open flex spaces and shared working rooms. While this office design does encourage more team collaboration and is a great idea for companies whose workers aren’t always in the office, all of this shared space leads to a lot more noise. How does this noise affect us? You might guess that it isn’t great for productivity. The good news is that you can actually boost your team’s performance and look out for their general well-being by controlling noise at work.
How Do Acoustics Affect Human Productivity?
The acoustics of a room or space is the characteristic that controls how sounds are transmitted throughout the space. The right acoustics can create quiet spaces in a room that is wide open, which is a great way to increase work productivity. However, a room that has poorly designed acoustics might amplify noises when it should be quieting them, which can greatly reduce productivity.
How Does Noise Affect Work Performance?
Have you ever found that you work better when it’s completely silent? Noise at work is related to poorer work performance and lower productivity. Why is this? Studies show that loud enough sounds can actually activate the body’s “flight or fight” response to stress. Trying to work while feeling stressed out, as you might imagine, isn’t easy, and the quality of work is negatively impacted because of it.
How Does Noise Affect Us?
Noise can have a profound effect on our bodies. According to OSHA, noise can affect us in the following ways:
- Causes hearing loss.
- Create physical stress.
- Induce psychological stress.
- Reduce productivity.
- Disturb communication.
- Disrupt concentration.
- Make it difficult to hear warning signals.
How Does Noise Affect Concentration?
Similar to reduced productivity, background noise also lowers our ability to concentrate. Because of the stress that background noise can cause, your brain is unable to focus, leading to poor concentration. This is why people tend to concentrate better in complete silence.
How Does Sound Affect Our Health?
According to the CDC, background noise and other sounds at work can do more than just reduce our ability to focus and be productive. As we previously mentioned, exposure to noise at work can create physical and psychological stress in your body. Over time, this stress can negatively impact your well-being. Studies have found that disturbing noise at work can be linked to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and potential cardiovascular problems.
Control Noise at Your Office
Even though noise is a detriment to productivity, there is something you can do about it. By designing your office’s space with the correct acoustics, you can control the sound in your workplace.
Our team at Arizona Corporate Interiors is an experienced commercial furniture and space planning design firm in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. We work with businesses, schools, and medical practices from Mesa to Sedona to Tucson to help them feel more comfortable at work by designing acoustically pleasing workplaces. Call one of our sales consultants today to learn about how we can assist you in your next project.