The office workplace is experiencing a time of innovations and breakthroughs. As a consequence of changing employee culture, the quest for higher productivity, and the integration of new technologies, businesses are open to adopting new office designs and work settings. Open workspaces and collaborative public hubs are seeing increased take-up. Another important work innovation whose value is being recognized is the ‘quiet zone’.
Quiet zones are acoustically insulated areas in the workplace where employees can enjoy silence and peace away from the bustle of the main space. Such areas are useful for work requiring a high degree of concentration, creativity, freedom from interruptions, and a level of privacy. Quiet areas can also exist in the form of one- or two-seater booths in which employees can conduct 1-on-1 meetings or private calls. As the trend in the main office space moves towards open areas, collaboration, and agile seating, quiet zones provide an important outlet for people seeking solitary and individual-focused work.
Does your office need quiet zones?
Many surveys and polls have been conducted on the utility of quiet zones in workplaces. Market research suggests 95% of employees desire a silent zone in the office; while less than half of people in open-plan offices are happy with the noise level in their environment. It is no surprise that workers feel this way – studies show a person can take over 20 minutes to recover their concentration after being interrupted. The provision of quiet zones can make the office more conducive to focused work, acoustic comfort, and peace of mind.
From the perspective of businesses, an improved employee experience has follow-on commercial benefits. This applies to both traditional commercial property owners and co-working space operators:
Productivity – Employees working with better focus, reduced sound-related stress, and fewer interruptions are more productive. A workplace with a choice of work settings – main space, quiet space, other spaces – allows people to pick an environment best suited for their work purpose.
Creativity – Consistent reduced sound levels allow occupants to organize their thoughts and engage in fruitful creative thinking, problem solving, and ideating.
Collaboration – There is an increased emphasis on collaboration in the modern workplace. Quiet zones provide a necessary outlet for employees seeking a break from the bustle of shared spaces. This allows them to re-engage in collaboration with sharper faculties and greater energy.
Attraction & Retention – Attracting new office-based workers, or retaining old ones, necessitates sustaining an excellent workplace experience. Quiet zones can help businesses bring in younger workers more sensitive to the office atmosphere. For co-working operators, quiet zones are an important offering for tenants with versatile work demands.
Quiet zone strategies
To create a quiet zone in a workplace firms have to: identify areas which would be best suited for a quiet space; prepare the space with sound-blocking furnishings and anti-noise solutions; monitor sound levels throughout occupation; and manage the demand for quiet spaces. The advent of ‘smart’ technologies has enabled sophisticated implementations of quiet zones with the help of data-based proptech.
Space planning – The average workplace generates a lot of data on occupancy, utilization, and noise levels. The integration of sensor-collected data into visualization software helps owners ‘see’ what are the busiest sections of their real estate; where would be the ideal locations for quiet zones; and what should be their capacity. AI-based analysis engines can automatically process this data and make recommendations directly to the business owner.
Noise masking – Once a quiet location has been selected, noise sources such as operating HVAC systems must be neutralized. The regular mechanical noise produced by office infrastructure is cancelled out by playing an ambient buzz or ‘white noise’. With acoustic sensors a manager can detect the volume and frequency of mechanical noise, and modulate the masking white noise accordingly. AI can automate the same task, conducting real-time analysis of noise signals and generating precise counter-signals for white noise.
Monitoring – A quiet zone may be breached by the occupants themselves engaging in loud speech or noisy activities. This requires property managers to diligently monitor noise-levels and intervene when necessary. Decibel levels are recorded by environmental sensors and can be integrated into a visual dashboard, alarm system, or notification app to help managers maintain the quiet zone.
Resource management – Business owners have to harmonize the availability of quiet spaces with the demand. Sensors record the state of occupancy or vacancy of quiet seats, and enable firms to manage requests from employees / tenants. Booking apps integrate dynamic occupancy data and enable users to view the status of their desired seats, book seats if available, cancel a booking, and more.
Conclusion
As work culture moves towards collaboration, quiet zones have emerged as an important counter-balance and relief valve for people seeking peace and focus. Quiet zones contribute to a better employee experience and performance at businesses. Co-work operators who add quiet spaces to their portfolio can attract a wider variety of tenants. With modern technologies based on collecting and processing data, companies can create spaces with excellent acoustic insulation, dynamic noise muffling, and serene ambiance.
Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/effect-quiet-zones-your-office-adam-d-angelo
https://www.workdesign.com/2017/04/room-think-rise-still-spaces-workplace/
https://blog.fluidmeet.com/quiet-zone-co-working-space-leads-higher-productivity/
https://grydsense.com/what-is-proptech-and-why-is-it-gaining-relevance.html
https://grydsense.com/omnos-analytics.html
https://www.autonomous.ai/ourblog/what-is-office-white-noise
https://grydsense.com/grydlight.html
https://lifehacker.com/how-long-it-takes-to-get-back-on-track-after-a-distract-1720708353
