Open plan offices encourage collaboration, improve communication, and make the most of available workspace. However, when multiple conversations, phone calls, and meetings happen in close proximity, noise can quickly become a challenge. Background noise can be distracting, making it difficult for employees to concentrate and reducing overall productivity. The effects of excessive workplace noise don’t just impact one individual, they can affect the entire team. While enclosing office spaces may seem like an obvious solution, traditional offices can feel restrictive, limit collaboration, and reduce the flexibility that makes open plan layouts so appealing.
Fortunately, there are practical acoustic solutions that can help reduce background noise while maintaining an open, collaborative environment. We look at four effective ways to create a quieter and more productive workplace.
1. Create a Private Space for meetings and calls
Open plan offices need dedicated spaces where employees can take phone calls, attend video meetings, or complete focused work without disturbing colleagues. While building enclosed meeting rooms can be costly and disruptive, a freestanding acoustic pod offers a flexible alternative.
The B.Quiet Meeting Pod is a compact, movable solution designed for modern workplaces. Its sound-reducing construction provides up to 30dB of noise reduction, creating a private space for meetings, calls, and concentrated work. Accommodating up to four people, it includes integrated power and USB charging, LED lighting, ventilation, and comfortable bench seating.
With no construction or approvals required, the pod can be easily relocated as workplace needs change, making it a practical and cost-effective alternative to permanent office renovations.
2. Muffle Noise Between Desks and Workstations
In open plan offices, desks and workstations are often positioned close together to maximise space. While this layout encourages teamwork, it can also make it difficult to avoid distractions from neighbouring conversations and phone calls.
One of the simplest ways to reduce noise between employees is by installing desk screens, such as the 30mm Rapid Span Screen. Positioned between desks or workstations, these screens create a physical barrier that helps minimise immediate noise transfer while also providing a greater sense of privacy.
As an added benefit, the upholstered fabric surface is pinnable, allowing staff to keep notes, reminders, and important documents within easy view. This makes desk screens a practical solution for improving both acoustic comfort and workspace organisation.
3. Reduce Sound Bounce with Acoustic Panels
Noise problems are often made worse by hard surfaces that reflect sound around the office. Exposed concrete ceilings, glass walls, polished floors, and other reflective materials can cause sound to reverberate throughout the workspace, making conversations seem louder and more distracting.
Mountable acoustic panels help absorb ambient sound and reduce reverberation, creating a more comfortable acoustic environment. Ceiling-mounted solutions such as Nimbus Sound Clouds are particularly effective in larger open-plan offices.
Combining elegant design with exceptional sound absorption, Nimbus Sound Clouds are available in a variety of shapes and configurations, including cloud and circular designs. Their flexibility allows businesses to choose solutions that complement both their acoustic requirements and workplace aesthetics. By absorbing sound before it can bounce around the room, acoustic panels help create greater acoustic clarity and a calmer working environment.
4. Soften Low-Level Sound with Soft Furnishings
Not all acoustic improvements require specialist products. Soft furnishings and décor can play an important role in reducing lower-level noise throughout an office.
Fabric lounges, upholstered seating, rugs, and other soft furnishings help absorb sound from floor level up to seated height. These materials reduce sound reflections and contribute to a quieter, more comfortable atmosphere.
Fabric lounge seating, such as the Cosmos range, can be particularly effective in reception areas, breakout spaces, and informal meeting zones. Along with helping to trap and absorb sound, soft furnishings also enhance the visual appeal of a workspace, creating a more welcoming environment for employees and visitors alike.
Less noise, more productivity
Managing noise in an open plan office doesn’t have to mean sacrificing collaboration or undertaking costly renovations. By incorporating acoustic pods, desk screens, sound-absorbing panels, and soft furnishings, businesses can significantly reduce workplace noise while maintaining the flexibility and openness employees value. For any business seeking to improve the acoustics of their open-plan office, it’s worth considering these four solutions. Working with a local expert like Greg Gibbons from Sharp Office makes choosing and implementing the right solution for your business simple. Contact Greg today.
