Is there a recipe for an office? How to arrange office space so that it supports employees in the performance of their tasks? What to do to reconcile two elements in one office – focus and communication? What future awaits office space? All these questions will be answered together with our customers during the Orgatec, while in the meantime we encourage you to follow our inspirational cycle.
Enjoy the silence
Whether we like it or not, noise is part of office life. But we do not have to waste our energy and health on it. It is enough to identify the most important noise sources and, sometimes, even with simple measures, to improve the acoustic comfort of the office users.
“Words like violence break the silence” – we hear in the song "Enjoy the Silence", by the legendary band Depeche Mode. If we recall the buzzing open spaces of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the song could serve as an anthem for office workers seeking conditions for concentration. But do we have to go back three decades to see an office whose users dream of a moment of silence?
Fortunately, there are tools that can help break this chain of damage and can significantly improve office acoustic comfort. “Acoustic tests precisely specify the scale of the problem, diagnose its causes and enable us to recommend solutions suitable for a given space”, says Anna Wilczura, acoustician at Nowy Styl. “It would be ideal if this type of analysis was performed at the same time as the space was being arranged, as at that stage we can separate zones and silent rooms in the office, ensure the right arrangement of desks and introduce sound-absorbing materials. Considering the fact that there are many sources of noise, only a comprehensive and well thought out strategy will ensure the desired result”, she explains.
If the possibilities to change the office architecture are limited, it is worth using acoustic products. Our experience, and that of our customers, has shown that suspending or placing Sileo panels on the walls can change the acoustics in an office significantly. They effectively protect office users from noise, in particular from reverberation – they are sound-absorbing and sound-insulating. Formo wall felt panels fulfil a similar function. With their compact design, they are quick and easy to install and can suppress the reverberation in conference rooms, employee rooms, canteens and managerial offices. Both panel lines are available in numerous colours, which means there are many possibilities to arrange them, for example, to match the office décor. As a result, the interior becomes cosier, almost homely, but best of all, quieter.
In some offices, the separation of meeting rooms or rooms for working in silence is problematic. The Tepee module system can be a solution for such places: its tall walls made of pressed felt allow for the separation of meeting places or places for individual work from open spaces. A high wall surrounds sofas or desks and hides us from office life – we do not bother other people, and they do not bother us. We separate ourselves from acoustic and visual stimuli. This really makes it easier to focus on our tasks.
Coming back to the song by Depeche Mode, in the chorus we hear the following lyrics: “Words are very unnecessary / They can only do harm”. Whether we like it or not, word are necessary to communicate well in an office. It’s important to create a working environment that will support the needs of all employees. The division of an office into zones, a large variety of meeting places and areas to focus on work all makes working in the office better. “Enjoy the Silence” – this song, sung with a smile on the way to a comfortable office, has a completely different meaning.
So… Let’s #MakeYourSpace Quiet