A Sound Investment: How Improving Acoustics Can Boost Your Bottom Line
Au.diSlat (Grille) at the GWL Realty Advisors Head Office
Acoustics are often overlooked when designing or renovating a workspace, but business owners are recognizing the profound impact of sound on their bottom line. In this blog post, we’ll look at some of the ways acoustics can impact your workspace and why more and more organizations are now investing in improving the sound environment of their offices.
Au.diSlat (Grille) at the GWL Realty Advisors Head Office
Why are Building Acoustics Important in Offices?
Research in the last two decades revealed that a building’s acoustics are far more significant for offices than many may have expected. It’s an important element in the creation of comfortable, functional spaces that improve job performance and overall well-being.
Let’s take a closer look at the ways improving acoustics can boost your bottom line:
1. Increased Productivity and Focus
Background conversations, ringing phones, or loud equipment are major distractions for employees, hindering concentration and thereby productivity. Much of this is due to modern open office design where according to the International Management Facility Association, 70% of American employees work in open-plan offices. With sound bouncing off the hard surfaces, creating echoes and an overall imbalance in the acoustic environment significantly impacting workplace productivity. According to the University of California, Berkeley study in 2016 open-plan offices can have as much as 66% more distractions and can decrease productivity by as much as 50%.
The scientific experiments on the effect of background noise has been well documented. A World Green Building Council white paper cited a study from 1998 that found that participants performed 66% worse in a “memory for prose” task when exposed to different types of background noise. This was followed up in 2005 with findings that 99% of respondents reported being distracted by office noise such as unanswered phones and background speech. Another survey by Oxford Economics in 2016, also found that 92% of respondents felt that noise posed a major distraction in the workplace.
Architects and Designers, well aware of these findings, are focusing on acoustic improvements to mitigate these issues. Acoustic panels like those in Atkar’s Au.diSelect range, for example, can reduce noise levels and improve speech intelligibility. Increased concentration increases efficiency in more productive and comfortable environments.
The sweet spot is finding a balance between effective collaboration and fluid workspaces, with a noise level that minimizes distractions and unwanted background noise.
Au.diGroove acoustic product at the Day & Ross Head Office
2. Clearer Communication and Privacy
Clear communication is essential in all environments. The workplace requires a mix of improved speech intelligibility with few echoes and background noise for easier employee understanding, communication and collaboration. Teamwork and overall productivity are enhanced with sound isolation with standard construction or installation of acoustic panels.
Let’s be honest – While beautiful, open offices impact confidential conversations. Acoustic improvements help to create private spaces where confidential conversations can be held without the risk of being overheard. This ensures that employees feel comfortable discussing sensitive information, leading to improved decision-making, problem-solving, and overall performance.
3. Augmented Aesthetic Design
According to the Society of Human Resource Management, “a well-designed workplace that reflects a company's organizational DNA can be a powerful tool for enabling social connections, sharing information, and building communication and trust,” all of which are essential for company culture.
To that end, companies across North America are increasingly choosing Atkar’s Au.diSelect acoustic panels to not only improve the balance and quality of their sound environment, but also to enhance the aesthetic design of their workplace.
Au.diSelect is an extensive range of integrated modular panels that are ideal for suspended ceiling and walls. The panels offer a number of customizable options and can be paired with almost any of our Inluxe™ Finishes, a range of high-quality decorative finishes, focused on natural veneers and solid wood species, which bring warmth and vibrancy to any interior.
The Inluxe Finishes range features species that are readily available in North America, but exclusive species, colours, or finishes can also be sourced to suit your custom project requirements.
Au.diSlat (Grille) at the GWL Realty Advisors Head Office
4. Enhanced Employee Well-Being
According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), noise pollution and excessive noise can cause stress having a profound impact on employees' well-being. This can have a dramatic effect on your bottom line, as high noise levels have been linked to reduced job satisfaction, increased turnover, and a negative impact on company culture. In fact, employees that work in an open-concept office space are more likely to take sick leave due to the increased noise levels impacting the business bottom line.
Our clients have used our range of Au.diSelect acoustic panels to improve the acoustic balance and noise levels of their spaces, creating a more peaceful working environment, resulting in reduced stress levels for staff and management .
Get in touch today for a quote and to learn more about Atkar North America.