When you add a meeting pod to your office, you should aim for high quality over what looks like a bargain. Overall, the goal is to create a peaceful meeting space that's free from noise pollution and distractions.
In addition to preventing office noise from filtering in, your meeting pod should also maintain absolute privacy and keep any noise from coming out.
Holding sensitive conversations or making important phone calls that escape prying ears makes your investment worthwhile. So does ease of use, functionality and durability. The additional health benefits your staff will feel having a new, secluded room to relax in, will also make them more productive.
Unfortunately, the meeting pod market is brimming with cheap imitations. Although they may save you some money initially, you run the risk of having to purchase a better model when you realize it doesn't meet your needs.
If you're not convinced that a high-end model is more practical, now's the time to read further.
Cheap meeting pods don't offer reliable soundproofing
Around 70 percent of American offices now use open plan layouts. The original aim of the open workspace was to eliminate the isolation that is intrinsic to cubical working. Open offices do allow for greater collaboration between workers, and in addition, they remove the hierarchies that come with traditional offices.
Although open offices have undeniable benefits, they also bring a lot of problems to the table. Around 54 percent of those who work in such environments express dissatisfaction with workplace noise levels. Employers who want to maintain an open office structure are trying to overcome such issues with the use of meeting pods.
At Zenbooth, our office phone booths provide very effective soundproofing. For example, let's say you purchase a single-person pod with the aim of helping workers enjoy private conversations. They can take their phones in there to receive personal calls from home, or they can use them to conduct private conversations with clients.
Being able to do so with absolute silence means they can concentrate on the task at hand before returning to their desks.
Other meeting pods may seem like a good deal financially, but they lack the soundproofing that your employees crave. There are several reasons why creating the illusion of privacy just isn't good enough:
- If you're holding important conversations with a client across the globe, failing to hear them properly will make you appear unprofessional.
- If your employees need thinking space, they may struggle to concentrate if they can't shut out the sounds and distractions outside.
- Finding a space to submerge yourself in peace isn't really possible without proper soundproofing.
While noise in your office is inevitable, the points above illustrate why you need to provide a space where employees can escape. With Zenbooth's approach to acoustics, you'll achieve the tranquil environment you're craving.
Some of the low-cost meeting pod models on the market aren't portable
Like many areas where you make a significant purchase, higher quality products usually come with greater convenience and efficiency. At Zenbooth, our modular two & 4 person meeting pods are portable.
We believe they're an excellent addition to workplace environments that want to adopt the office neighborhood concept. In short, such offices take a flexible approach to creating work spaces that adjust according to employee needs.
When you purchase a meeting pod, being able to move it from place to place is necessary for many reasons:
- You're always going to get more for your money. If you're managing a large workplace, you may find that the need to use a meeting pod fluctuates between departments. When one no longer needs a pod, you can allow other colleagues or office floors to take advantage of its benefits.
- Changing your office's floor plan will no longer be a logistical nightmare. If a meeting pod is permanent, you'll need to invest a lot of money into changing your office's layout. Portable pods overcome this with their flexible nature.
- It's often the case that portable meeting pods come with the benefit of quick assembly times. As a result, you can enjoy yours within hours of receiving it.
Eco-friendly materials aren't the norm with all manufacturers
Creating an eco-friendly workplace is an attractive concept. Some experts believe that employees function better in a more natural environment than when they surround themselves with artificial materials. In fact our brains are hardwired to appreciate the great outdoors, which makes our maple wood models even more attractive.
The use of eco-friendly materials is beneficial from a marketing perspective too. Today, a growing number of consumers are gravitating towards organizations that market themselves as eco-friendly businesses.
The knowledge that their purchasing decisions come with the secondary effect of pleasing Mother Nature is appealing. While most businesses can cut energy costs, use recycled paper, and promote cycle-to-work schemes, few will take a green approach to constructing their office layout.
At Zenbooth, we make it easier for you to enjoy all of the conveniences a meeting pod delivers. At the same time, we use eco-friendly materials to construct each model. The first way we achieve this is through sourcing local wood.
Alongside supporting nearby economies, this action means materials have less of an impact on the ozone layer than they would if they were imported. To offset the use of wood in our booths, we plant a new tree for each one we produce. As a result, we're giving something back to the Earth after taking something away.
While some manufacturers strive to use eco-friendly materials, others don't reach high standards. On the worst end of the scale, some fail to manufacture their pods in America. As a result, their impact on the environment includes the fuel that's necessary to ship them from overseas.
If you want to advertise yourself as an eco-friendly business, using a Zenbooth is a handy tool. When you can confidently state that your office spaces give something back to nature, the one-third of consumers who make eco-friendly purchasing decisions will be happy to come your way.
A lack of comfortable materials may hamper productivity
Chances are you already know your meeting space isn't just an aesthetic asset. You're installing one in the hopes that your purchase will result in a boost in productivity. This productivity will then translate into profits, which you can invest back into your company.
At Zenbooth, we make one to 4-person booths that employees can use for relaxation, private talks, and more. One of the features we're especially proud of is the anti-fatigue flooring, which helps workers feel less tired even when they're putting their nose to the grindstone. According to one study, tiredness in the workplace has profound effects:
- 23 percent reduced concentration
- 18 percent loss of memory function
- A 9 percent increase in task difficulty
When your employees can't concentrate, fail to remember things, and struggle to meet the challenges of their assignments, they're not productive. Sure, they'll get some stuff done, but they're not functioning at their highest levels.
One way to reduce tiredness is by introducing quiet zones to your work environment. While employees are unlikely to nap there, the ability to escape a stressful setting reduces their cortisol levels. After limiting the number of stress hormones that enter their bloodstreams, employees will burn less energy.
In addition to our anti-fatigue flooring, we include superb ventilation. With a dose of fresh air, your employees have another chance to refresh themselves.
Should they decide they want to escape the chaos of an open office altogether, they can use the fast charging USB ports and plug sockets to carry on with their normal tasks. As a multi-function meeting pod, your Zenbooth can adapt to each person's idea of what makes a restful experience beneficial.
Avoid cheap, ineffective meeting pods and go with Zenbooth
While other manufacturers include similar features, many will only provide basic shells of a meeting booth which produce fewer benefits. With a slightly bigger investment, you can provide your employees with the respite they need to remain productive, and your company can stay eco-friendly.
Although there are lots of cheap imitations on the market, aiming for a low price tag without doing your research could result in a substandard experience. At Zenbooth, we do what we can to make our pods a worthy investment. If you have any questions, contact us to chat with a member of our team.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a comment: