Office Noise - Solutions To This Problem
Think about a stressful workday, when you need to submit a vital sales report and tally important survey data. You might come in to work a few hours early, in order to put in more time on these tasks. Now, picture yourself trying to compile that data next to a coworker, who can't stop talking about a strange blind date that she just had. It's difficult for you to concentrate in an environment like that, right?
It is proven that office noise negatively impacts office productivity, regardless of what is producing the noise. In some cases, office noise can create stress and induce depression and other serious side effects.
That said, most working people face some form of office noise at some point in our careers. It is therefore important to be prepared so that we can better deal with such situations. Let's face it, if you have colleagues who idle their time away discussing everything under the sun, you'd better draw the line in your interactions with them. Be forthright yet polite in telling them that you get disturbed by their chatter. Chances are they'll apologize and limit their conversations in order to avoid getting on your nerves.
If the printer or fax machine near your workspace is the source of noise, (gently!) ask your IT staff to investigate the source of the noise. Chances are that it is a device malfunction because most companies selling office equipment spend millions making these devices noise-free. Frequent servicing by qualified people can help remove or at least reduce the noise.
Lots of offices are plagued with noises that come from the coffee machine. While the machine is there to provide convenient drinks, it can also provide high levels of background noise, which can distract a person from performing assigned tasks. If this is the case in your office, consider bringing the issue up with a supervisor or a colleague.
It's not useful to have a noisy office, no matter where the noise is coming from. There are plenty of inexpensive methods to control noise, and most of these can be applied to an office setting. For example, sound absorbent panels and high walls for cubicles can minimize the distance that noise can travel, whether the noise is coming from humans or from machines. Placing conference rooms or cafeterias away from work areas is also useful. Finally, introducing white noise or sound masking is a very effective way to solve the problem. White noise can cover the problem noise with ambient, low-level sounds, and a new white noise system can be inserted into most office design formats. Basically, the goal is to keep office noise levels under control.
Office noise interferes with employee productivity. In addition, it may trigger stress in employees, possibly even snowballing into more debilitating illnesses, including depression. It is difficult to work in a noisy office, no matter how the noise originates. There are numerous inexpensive sound masking systems available for the majority of offices. Panels that absorb sound and extra-tall cubicle walls are useful in reducing noise are some of the commonly used masking tools. The most appropriate time to think about introducing masking technologies is during the office design, but modern systems can be retrofitted into most work areas with relative ease.
Published May 29th, 2008
