When it comes to commercial interior design, it’s easy to get hung up on the visual impact of your space – but beware. The excitement of choosing fixtures, fittings and furniture may mean you overlook other important factors, such as workplace acoustics.
And with sound negatively affecting the concentration, productivity and creativity levels of 69% of workers, it can be an expensive oversight. In fact, a recent study reveals that chatty coworkers and office noise are cited as the top distractorsi n the workplace, while another shows that 44% of workers said that workplace noise had a negative impact on their wellbeing.
That’s why, at Layrd Design, we explore workplace acoustics at the start of your project. Plus, it ensures that all aspects of your workspace are fit for purpose. For instance, healthcare providers may need soundproof rooms to protect sensitive patient information, while hospitality and retail spaces often benefit from a little ambient noise.
As if the reasons above weren’t important enough, we should also mention that it can be difficult and expensive to retrofit acoustic measures once you’re up and running. Ignore them at your peril!
ABC of Workplace Acoustics Interior designers and architects use three key techniques to manage sound: