Research suggests that the era of the open-plan office is coming to an end. Why? Because they actually negatively affect productivity and stress levels.

The truth is that different workers require different kinds of space for different kinds of activities. Having the option to work among others in the office as well as getting some quiet and private space when necessary is essential for a productive workforce.

Corporate quiet rooms are the way forward for modern offices – with a wide range of benefits, including increased productivity.

 

Controlling the stimuli coming in

A study carried out inside a big furniture company discovered that there are two reasons people want more privacy in the office. The first is that they need to control the stimuli that are coming in to their environment.

Glance around an open office and examples are everywhere. One popular trick with office workers is to put headphones over their ears, even if they are not listening to music.

Background noise can be very distracting, and when your business requires accurate and fast work, that can have a serious effect on productivity levels.

When working on demanding projects this is all the more important. 58% of high-performance employees surveyed said they want more office private spaces for problem solving. Additionally, 54% find their office environment "too distracting."

Distractions waste time, not only in the momentary lapses of concentration but also in the time that it takes to get back up to speed. This can be a big drain on productivity, losing hours of time in each working day.

If this is happening to the employees who need to concentrate the most, it’s something your business needs to solve. Having a quiet booth in the office means providing a place where high-performance employees can get the focus they need.

It also means reducing stress levels, which can be raised by the presence of constant office noise. 

Controlling the information projected out

The second reason that workers want more privacy is to control the information that they are projecting out to others. This could be for a variety of issues – for example, if they are working on a project or discussing a problem which has a higher clearance (confidentiality) grade than that of their colleagues.

In these situations, it’s obvious that an office quiet space can be invaluable. It’s a place where calls can be taken and work can be done without others overhearing sensitive information.

Don’t forget that this content can also be projected out through to the other end of the phone line. In a noisy office, who knows what might be said by people passing by the desk of a colleague on a business call. If the wrong thing is heard by the wrong person, your company will look unprofessional.

In this case, having a soundproof office phone booth allows those calls to be peaceful on both ends. Not only that, but it projects a more professional impression than a phone call containing excessive background noise.

It also means that those confidential conversations can be had right away. There’s no need to meet in an outside location or wait until after work hours to make the call. Everything can be dealt with as soon as it arises, with no one any the wiser.

A privacy booth could also be used for personal reasons. Although it’s reasonable to hope that work and personal lives can remain separate, this is not always the case. Having a corporate quiet room available to take those urgent calls could be a serious boost to your employees, especially those having personal problems which they need to handle in secret. 

Corporate quiet rooms reduce the risk of sickness

Sick days are a bane on productivity. They are unplanned and can come at the worst of times, like when that employee is urgently needed.

That’s why it’s shocking to think how much sickness is increased by the use of an open office plan. People in open spaces tend to take an average of 62% more sick days than those who work in private offices. This statistic perhaps won’t come as a surprise to those who have experienced for themselves how quickly a bug can seem to fly around the whole office, leaving the workforce temporarily decimated.

The reasons for the increase in sick days taken are most likely twofold: one is that the bacteria can spread easily when everyone shares the same room, and two is that people are more likely to take time off to avoid infecting others.

It also doesn’t help that humans have a tendency to follow the herd.Open-plan office workers may see their colleagues taking time off and decide it is reasonable to do so themselves, even when they are actually well enough to do the work.

Having a corporate quiet room seems to provide a solution for both of these situations. Workers who aren’t feeling at their best, but are still well enough to get their work done can simply use the quiet room for the day.

Corporate quiet rooms increase productivity 

So far, we have explored three things that might negatively affect productivity.

1. Noise in the office can lead to a lack of concentration and distractions, as well as rising stress levels which further prevent concentration. 
2. An unwillingness to share information in public spaces can cause difficulty communicating and confidentiality issues.
3. Sickness can spread easily and lead to more days off for the average office worker.

The solution to all of these problems is the office phone booth, which provides the removal of distractions, stress relief, increased privacy and less sickness.

With a flexible soundproof boothyour employees can take advantage of the space to increase their productivity.

With such a huge boost potentially available, it seems like a big deficit to leave on the table. Purchasing a soundproof booth, which includes power outlets and air exhaust units to keep the atmosphere comfortable inside, is a great investment for your company. 

In terms of ROI, the extra revenue generated by the productivity increase could be massive.

How are corporate quiet rooms constructed and what’s included?

Quiet rooms need to be made to a professional standard. It can be very costly and time-consuming to build them yourself, with no guarantee results, which is why it is always best to buy the booths pre-made.

The materials make a big difference, so premium choices like maple wood and plexi glass are really important. These ensure that the space is professional, soundproof, and also has thermal isolation properties.

Each booth comes with an electrical outlet and USB ports, as well as a port to hook up your ethernet cables. The power cord connected to the booth runs 15 feet.

Booths can be easily moved as your office layout changes, and if you switch locations entirely, disassembly and reassembly are quite easy.

Also, at Zenbooth we only use eco-friendly materials, so purchasing through us means you’ll be helping the environment and curbing waste.

To get in touch with us and learn more about our noise cancelling booths, feel free to use the form on our contact page. You can also call us at 415.323.5358. Thanks for reading.