What does your office really sound like? If you had to recreate the ambience of your workplace, how realistic would it seem? Sound engineer Iwan Gabovitch has put together a pretty convincing 2 hour segment of office noises on “SoundLikeTube”. It’s a lengthy, looping clip that is designed for use in video or audio productions. Other suggested uses are:

• Playing it in the background when you need to pretend you’re at work
• Adding it to the ambient noise of your real office to make your business seem bigger
• Using it to feel less lonely at a work from home job

In fact, most of us tune out the noise in the office after a while (although it still creates stress at a subconscious level). Here are just a few of the sounds you might hear if you really start listening:

1. People talking (blah, blah, chatter, laugh, blah, blah)
2. Office printers running (whir, chug, chug—paper jam!)
3. Papers being shuffled (rustle, rustle, rustle)
4. Cell phones vibrating (that buzzing sound of a phone sitting on a desk is still audible with the ringer turned off)
5. Staplers (Whack! Breathless pause…whack!)
6. Keyboard and mouse (the click, tap, tap, tap, click never stops)
7. Music playing from the guy wearing headphones with the volume cranked up (either something you wish you could hear or something you’d like to block out.
8. Chip or snack containers—arguably one of the most annoying sounds in any office (crinkle, crinkle)
9. Air conditioning or heating (whoosh, whoosh, hum just at the edge of your hearing range)
10. File cabinet drawers opening and closing (scrape, thunk, scrape, thunk, someone please get the WD40!)

It’s a wonder anyone can work in an office with all that racket. If you’re ready to start cutting down on the distractions, OBEX can help. We can add height and additional sound reduction to your existing cubicle walls to limit office noise intrusion. For workstations without panels, consider our desktop mounted acoustic panels. Employees can choose to turn their desk into a cube and finally get enough peace and quiet to really concentrate. Click through to see our full range of cubicle panel extenders.

This year, a fresh crop of vendors is rising to address the challenge of office noise control in the modern workpsace. While providing separation between employees at the workstation level is important, there are many other areas of the office that can also be acoustically upgraded for better sound absorption. Here are a few of the newest items available for helping businesses keep the noise down.

See Through Doesn’t Mean “Hear Through”

Glass is a lovely architectural component, but it poses special challenges for acoustic control. If the glass is too thin, sound can pass right through, and there’s no confidentiality. If it’s too dense, sound bounces right back into the workspace and reverberates. Unika Vaev is addressing this issue with “Glass Cover”—a 100% wool felt product that can be installed in attractive shapes and patterns to add visual interest and sound absorption to expansive glass walls.

Let the Sky Fold

SKYFOLD sounds like the name of a James Bond thriller, and the special effects are certainly something to see. This vertically foldable operative wall system accordions down from the ceiling, providing an instant reduction in noise on both sides of the panel. The STC rating is as high as 60, guaranteeing that meetings stay “top secret”. The system is electric rather than manual, for a very hush, hush operation. These motorized panels are available in a wide range of sizes and have even been installed at Texas A&M to divide up lecture rooms to host multiple simultaneous presentations.

Modern, Mobile, Modi

The Modi screen is a new take on the mobile acoustic privacy screen. It features a wood core with acoustic panels of wool felt (that seems to be the textile of the year), and can be provided in a number of different colors. The wheel can be outfitted in a contrasting hue for added whimsy. There’s a handy handle on the side so the screen is easy to tote from one workstation to another. This might even make a nice temporary door for a cubicle.

What new tools will you use to bring acoustic balance to your offices this year? Let us know in the comments.

As business owners, we all have a lot to learn from one another. If you want to get your finger on the pulse of the small business community, check out the Succeed: Small Business Network on LinkedIn. This group of 80,000 business professionals offers a wide variety of perspectives on just about any topic you can imagine. For example, here’s a snapshot of their opinions on open office design.

• If a job involves sensitive information, an enclosed office is a necessity.
• Open plans work best for people who are in and out of the office—not those who are there the entire workday.
• Closed floor plans require workers to schedule time together, reducing interruptions during the regular workday and potentially increasing productivity during meetings.
• Phone work (from cold calling to conference calls) is difficult in an open office environment.
• An open office may help with creating a team environment for large projects. It seems to work well for strategists and creative professionals.
• High cubicles that are reconfigurable would make a reasonable substitute for private offices—especially if they could be equipped with doors.
• Open office works best when coworkers need to interact face-to-face frequently throughout the day.
• Working with too many people around is distracting. Having a few people work synergistically together in a small office is better than having a completely open room with no divisions.

There’s one point of agreement: The best configuration depends on the type of work being done.

Can You Make an Open Office Work?

Open office layouts with no private offices and no cubicles can be very challenging. In the words of one management consultant: “An open environment is just an ad hoc meeting with no agenda or deadline peppered with interruptions, phone calls and extraneous noise.” If you must make do with an open office plan, here’s what it takes to help workers stay productive.

1. Encourage respectful social interactions. Lack of privacy is a big problem. When people are in each other’s business all the time, it can be an HR nightmare. Put reasonable policies and guidelines in place along with a mechanism to enforce them fairly.
2. If much of the work being done requires intense concentration, there need to be rules about “quiet time”. Or, give employees the freedom to seek out a quieter temporary workspace such as an empty office or conference room without fear of being reprimanded for not being at their desk.
3. Educate workers about introversion. Open office layouts unfairly penalize workers who aren’t “social butterflies”, even though excessive socializing isn’t part of the job description and actually distracts from productive work. Help employees understand that some people simply need less chit-chat to feel like part of the team.

If you’re really concerned about saving space, rethink why you want everyone in the office. Work that requires isolation might be done remotely. Consider letting some employees work from home or another location.

Are you going to NeoCon 2014 in Chicago? Registration is still open, and you won’t want to miss the seminars if you’re in town. Here are a few presentations that could make a big difference for employee engagement, satisfaction, productivity, and retention.

Getting Space Right

On Monday, June 9^th, Dean Strombon and Sven Govaars from Gensler offer a talk on ‘Happiness by Design: a Capital Idea’. They’ll cover how to measure employee happiness and how to apply these insights to workplace design to improve employee wellbeing. Don’t worry; build happy!

One of the reasons so many employees feel stressed is no doubt the shrinking of the work environment. Today, many companies expect the workforce to thrive in less than 100 square feet per person. Kimberly Marks, president of the Marks Design Group, offers her perspective on how to deal with the design limitations inherent in working with small spaces. The seminar is ‘Occupant Load Explosion’ and it’s also on Monday.

Turning Down the Volume

Acoustics is a topic that’s covered on Monday and Wednesday. SHP Leading Design architect Allison McKenzie discusses ‘Acoustics: The Sound of Sustainable Design.’ She’ll teach you about the difference between Sound Transmission Class (STC) and Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC). Allison will also talk in detail about how acoustics meshes with LEED prerequisites and credits.

Why do 60% of employees say noise makes it difficult for them to perform their work? On Wednesday, Devorie Brown from Commercial Studio of Interior Design discusses the reported statistics about noise in the workplace. She will help participants learn to identify noise sources and create strategies to reduce distractions and create an optimal acoustic environment. Of course, you don’t have to go to NeoCon to get started with a noise reduction plan—we can help you at any time.

If you do attend NeoCon 2014, be sure to share your comments about your favorite seminars here.

How is it possible that some IT workers are ten times more productive than others? Is it because they are more highly educated? Does higher performance correlate to more years of experience? Are top performers simply born smarter? Is a person’s ability to turn in great work linked to a generous salary? According to office productivity research from PdK Consulting, none of these factors are as critical as you might suppose. The day-to-day work environment has a huge impact on software developers’ ability to churn out error free, high quality code.

What Makes the Best So Much Better Than the Worst?

If you haven’t read about the famous “Coding war games”, this study measured the productivity of 600 programmers in over 90 different companies. Then, the participants in the top 25% were surveyed and their answers compared to those in the bottom 25% to detect any relevant variables. Having an acceptably quiet and private workspace were very significant factors, as was the ability to avoid taking phone calls or being interrupted by coworkers. In other words, being left alone to do the job they were hired to do was the ideal working situation. The same likely holds true outside the software development arena for other jobs that require dedicated focus.

Achieving Better Working Conditions Shouldn’t Be a Fight

The best and fastest programmers outworked the least productive by 10:1. However, even the average performers were more than twice as productive as those who were least productive. It isn’t difficult to imagine that even incremental improvements in noise control and privacy could have a substantial effect on helping knowledge workers be more efficient.

Are You Creating or Attracting Highly Productive Workers?

There are obvious limitations to this study given its subjective nature. For example, actual noise levels were not measured—participants simply reported whether they felt distracted by workplace noise. However, others studies that have objectively measured office noise confirm that certain types of sound (particularly human conversation) are highly disruptive and make it difficult for workers to concentrate.

In any event, the conclusion provided by the research team is worthy of contemplation: “The data presented above does not exactly prove that a better workplace will help people to perform better. It may only indicate that people who perform better tend to gravitate toward organizations that provide a better workplace. Does that really matter to you? In the long run, what difference does it make whether quiet, space, and privacy help your current people to do better work or help you to attract and keep better people?”

Susan Cain, a self-professed introvert, is not exactly the person you’d expect to see giving a TED talk. But her book “QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” brought Cain into the public eye in unexpected ways. She gave a voice to everyone who has ever wished for more peace and quiet at work. While collaboration and socialization at the office can be wonderful, at least 30% of the population wishes for a workplace where these activities weren’t given so much importance.

Introverts Are Stymied in Their Efforts to Be Effective

Many of the greatest ideas arise and most workplace productivity occurs when people are given space and time to really concentrate. For introverts, being required to perform “on demand” in a group setting can lead to anxiety over excessive scrutiny or criticism. But given a few hours alone, they can come up with amazing solutions or work at lightning speed to get critical tasks done on time. It’s not that they hate their coworkers. Introverts simply want to be able to choose their interactions with care to avoid depleting themselves. When they are part of a culture that overemphasizes what Susan calls “The New Groupthink”, their work suffers.

What Type of Workspace Do Introverts Crave?

A private office at work would probably be a dream come true—and working remotely from a quiet location like a home office is another favorite option. The worst possible workspace is an open office plan with no walls and no privacy. That’s not surprising since even extroverts can feel overwhelmed and stressed when there is constant noise. Introverts would usually prefer to have a cubicle rather than the type of open desk with low or no dividers that is prevalent in today’s office environments.

Introverts Need Oases

Cain recognizes that the economics of the open office design make it too tempting for most companies to forego. But she believes there is a way to find some middle ground. Jim Hackett, recent Steelcase CEO and fellow introvert, agrees that it’s time to make a change. Cain is now collaborating with this leading office furniture company on solutions. “We’ve formed a partnership with Steelcase to create quiet oases of focus and respite for open plan offices, so that workers can move freely between social and private spaces.” Design ideas are due to be released sometime in 2014.

Do your employees really care about the latest “eco-friendly” initiative at work? Are they on board with the idea of a mission statement that includes caring for the planet? Would they like to have a say in sustainability in the office? Evidence suggests that the answer to all of these questions is “Yes!”

Workers Love a Giving Attitude

Rena M. Klein at the American Institute of Architects explores a 2008 SHRM study in her article about “Greening the Workplace”. In the study, a strong commitment to sustainable practices was linked to improved worker productivity and higher morale. Energy and resource conservation programs were popular practices, as was support for cycling and other fuel-efficient commuting methods. However, the #1 practice that garnered the most support was reuse of old furnishings.

“Employees were asked which environmentally responsible practices they thought were most important for organizations to carry out. They reported that donating/discounting used office furniture/supplies to employees or local charity was the top environmentally responsible practice.” It’s always nice when what’s good for the environment coincides with what’s good for workers and the local community.

Environmental Responsibility Is a Passion for Young Employees

Sustainability is likely to become even more popular over the next two decades as Gen Y workers will comprise most of the workforce by 2025. According to OXYGENZ (a research project led by Global WorkPlace Innovation), youth believe that the office should be designed with an eye toward eco-responsibility. “Sustainability is highly valued with 96% desiring an environmentally friendly workplace, but not at the expense of design.” Fortunately, the range of choices for office furniture that is well-designed and responsibly manufactured is growing.

Making Smart Green Buying Decisions

Of course, this doesn’t mean buying green is inexpensive—at least for new furniture. Cost can be a significant barrier to implementing an environmentally responsible program. In the SHRM study mentioned above, eight out of ten employees recognized this as one of the reasons such practices weren’t given more weight in the workplace. There is one option that satisfies:

• the requirement of businesses to keep costs low;
• the needs of workers who want (and deserve) ergonomic and finely crafted office furniture; and
• the desire of everyone involved to make sustainable choices.

Purchasing refurbished office furniture is that solution since the refinishing process consumes comparatively few resources. Employers can get their hands on the best name-brand furnishings restored to like new condition at a fraction of the cost of new. Buying items made with pre and post-consumer recycled content (like our panel extenders) is another smart choice. Our products are especially sustainable because they help businesses extend the useful life of their existing desks and cubicles.

Do your employees ever feel like they are a captive audience? Do they think working in a cubicle is cruel and unusual punishment? Perhaps they would breathe easier if they had at least the illusion of wide open spaces. According to a study carried out by the American Association for Justice, the right kind of art installation on a wall can make even the most unpleasant work environment more bearable. A review of the study (Developing the Evidence for Evidence-Based Design: The Impact of Simulated Nature Views on Stress in a Correctional Setting) by the American Institute of Architects dug into the details.

Office Décor at the Big House

The setting for the photo mural is the intake area of a correctional facility. As one might imagine, this environment is full of stressed out individuals. Inmates are going through a major life change as they prepare for incarceration. Staff members are dealing with an unstable and potentially volatile populace. Both groups have good reason to be on edge. It might not seem like changing the scenery would help much. But the results of this study tell a different story.

The Heart of the Matter

Unlike similar studies that rely solely on subjective reporting, participants in this research project actually wore heart monitors to measure stress levels. According to analysis of these records, “after installation of the mural, intake officers’ heart rate was significantly lower at the beginning of the shift; the rate of increase of heart rate was significantly less from the beginning to end of shift; and there was a significant increase in “log power”, indicating inhibition of heart rate. The rate of log power increase is statistically significant and is consistent with lower heart rate and less stress. These data are suggestive of a pattern that is consistent with reduced stress at the end of the day after the exposure to the mural intervention.”

Do Try This at Your Own Office

To see what this particular mural looks like, click through and scroll to the bottom of the page here. It’s certainly a peaceful prairie scene. Given the inexpensive nature of photo mural installation, it might be something to try out in a traditional office space. Or, you could start smaller with custom printed privacy panels featuring simulated nature scenes.

As a fitting finale for our April series on beautifying the office, ProProfs.com provides this timely office design quiz. Fortunately, we got almost every answer right on the first try—we’ve been studying hard! There were some very telling tidbits of information and a few surprises tucked away in this quick true/false test. Here are some facts the answer key revealed (based on results from a variety of different studies).

• More than 8 out of 10 employees agree that their work environment has a big impact on their level of motivation. 7 out of 10 personalize their workspace in some way.
• Employees consistently rank privacy as the most important aspect of their workplace—even more important than lighting and temperature control.
• Workers in offices with fewer enclosures (open offices with no or low cubicle walls) report more fatigue and other physical complaints. Employees leave their workstations more often and have lower productivity when there are no panels.

Employees Want a Room with a View

The issues caused by lack of privacy in open office plans are no surprise. We’ve already blogged about most of these studies here at OBEX. However, we did learn something new:

“People decorate windowless rooms with twice as many natural scenes and objects, compared to people inside rooms with windows.”

That’s very interesting! It’s probably one reason why screensavers and motivational posters showing gorgeous outdoor scenes are so popular in the cubicle world. Employees shut away from exterior views crave a more beautiful environment.

Do we have a solution that fills this need? Absolutely. At OBEX, we have the ability to print polycarbonate panels with any type of nature scene you can imagine. Employees might really enjoy:

• Mountains capped with snow
• Seascapes and sandy beaches
• Fields of flowers
• Leaves or grass covered in dew
• Forest pathways
• Skies dotted with white clouds

You could turn your office environment into a walk-through gallery with nature scenes on panels gracing each workstation. This solution might be ideal for interior office spaces where most employees simply aren’t fortunate enough to have a seat by the window.

This next post about workplace aesthetics is designed to blow your mind. The paper it references is very highbrow with lots of references to great minds like Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. The title is “Aesthetics, morality and power: Design as espoused freedom and implicit control” (George Cairns, 2009). Most of the paper is too dense for light reading, but there’s a section about “Aesthetic as ugliness – beauty as unaesthetic” that is really fascinating. It starts on page 10 of the PDF linked above if you want to read the whole thing. Here’s the short version.

It’s Time to Tear Down the Walls…

The author of the paper was working as a facility design consultant. He was hired by a government agency to redesign a work environment that featured “regimented rows of administrative staff desks, with supervisors sitting at the heads of the rows – supervision by watching every move. Departmental boundaries delineated and defined by ‘Berlin walls’ of storage cabinets – almost as impenetrable and, in the event, more permanent.”

Top management signed off on the consultant’s new plan to switch the layout to a single open-plan office for 350 people. Workers were given more equal space, the filing cabinets were moved, and supervisors were integrated into teams. Plants were added to make the space more aesthetically pleasing as well. All these changes happened over one weekend with no warning to the staff. Workers showed up on Monday morning and were directed by guides to their new workspace—where all their personal effects had been relocated.

How Did the Staff React?

They hated the changes. Employees claimed the new layout was too hot/cold, open/claustrophobic, quiet/noisy, etc. The consultant was mystified. A few years later, he returned for another visit. In the interim, workers had been permitted to make their own changes to the layout (within reason) to better suit their needs. They didn’t return to the original, regimented structure. Instead, they changed the orientation of some desks and added some screens to break up the space (and presumably offer some privacy). One group in particular had made only very minor changes to the consultant’s original redesign.

However, when the author interviewed the group members, it was revealed that they felt they had greatly improved on the consultant’s design. “…the particular group saw themselves as designers of their own workspace, having had to overcome the ineffectual input of an irrelevant external party.” In other words, it wasn’t the layout or the appearance of the space that really mattered. It was their perception of involvement in the design process. That’s something to bear in mind if you plan to make sweeping changes to your office space. Encouraging staff input at the start is likely to greatly increase their satisfaction with the outcome!