Imagine you’re an employee in a typical open office environment. You’re at a table or cubicle, which is barely separated from those around you by a very low wall.
You have a presentation to prepare for a client meeting. As you pull up the data on your computer, the colleague next to you returns to his or her seat and fidgets noisily with their keyboard, pulling your attention from the task at hand.
You drag your focus back to your data, but just as you get back in the groove of concentration, a cell phone buzzes on the other side of you. Even though your colleague is whispering, you can hear she’s having an argument with her spouse.
You finally get back to work again, when “Ping!” the elevator door opens and three people exit, talking loudly about the meeting they’ve just had. Such is the noisy life of an open office today, and it’s making employees sick and killing productivity.
The Immediate Impact of Noisy Workplaces
As you can see in the hypothetical case above, noisy and distraction-filled workplaces have an instant effect on employee concentration. Over the course of a typical day in an open office, employees have to refocus on their work over and over again.
A study by Berlin’s Humboldt University showed that after an interruption, it may take employees up to 23 minutes to fully regain their focus.
The Downstream Effect of Too Much Noise at Work
We now know that noisy open offices also have a long-term impact on workers. For most employees, this is reflected in increased sick days due to stress and anxiety related to their environment.
But, there are also issues related to lack of privacy and coworker personal habits, which can escalate to problems with employee retention and recruitment.
Another serious downside to office noise is a substantial drop in productivity. All those 10- and 20-minute periods of having to refocus aren’t just a nuisance or stressful for employees.
It’s time your employees aren’t getting work done, and that ultimately affects your profits and your company’s bottom line. Deadlines get missed and errors are made, potentially causing rifts with clients or customers.
Soundproof Office Phone Booths Are The Solution
There is a solution that doesn’t entail moving or renovating your workspace: soundproof office phone booths. These booths solve several common office problems:
- They offer a place where employees can work without noise and distractions.
- They provide a place for discreet conversations, whether between management or staff, for performance reviews and for personal conversations.
- They create a small conference room for group or client meetings.
- They allow people to have regular conversations without disturbing their coworkers, to discuss work plans, phone customers, or practice presentations.
Enclosed office pods are a popular choice when companies have their “Aha!” moment and decide to add quiet spaces to their open offices. The features and benefits of Zenbooth are many.
Soundproofing
Superior soundproofing is probably the number one reason businesses choose Zenbooth. Layers of recycled denim insulation and acoustic felt panels in the 3.5-inch thick walls help dampen sound.
The acoustic performance of the booths have been optimized so that conversations inside the booth cannot be heard inside, and vice versa. In fact, a Zenbooth can block up to 40 decibels of noise.
According to an article from Fox News Business on office phone booths, “Working in this quiet environment may boost a worker’s concentration by as much as 48%, a huge increase. That, in turn, leads to employees making 10% fewer work errors, and the employee saves time by not having to correct so many errors. What is more, an employee’s stress levels may go down 27%.”
Light and Ventilation
Zenbooth makes it easy for workers to be comfortable by providing light and ventilation inside their booths. Interior lighting can be dimmed, and a skylight and door window allow in whatever light source your office uses. Motion-activated fans start working the moment you enter the booth, and fresh air is cycled into the booth every minute.
Connectivity for Electronics
You’ll never be searching for a place to plug in or be concerned with running out of juice in a Zenbooth. The UL-listed electrical interface includes fast-charging USB outlets, 15A 110v electrical outlets, and ports for data and telephone cables.
Three Sizes, Including Conference Room Meeting Pods
Zenbooths come distinct dimensions to meet all your office needs. Some companies enjoy several in a mix of sizes:
- Comfort Booth: for one or two people, with the option of a height adjustable desk for sitting or standing & many other health benefits
- Executive Booth XL: for meetings with two or three people, also with a desk
- Executive Room: can accommodate four to six people for meetings or flex space (think meditation, nursing moms, etc.)
Other Benefits
- Pleasing aesthetics with natural wood exteriors
- Fast shipping
- Designed with fire compliance in mind
- Easy accessibility with very low threshold
- Spring hinges and magnet closure on doors
- Simple to clean and maintain
- Quick assembly
You and your employees don’t need to tolerate office noise, excess worker sick days, poor retention, or lost productivity any longer, thanks to Zenbooth.
Get in touch today to get your questions answered or to order your soundproof office booths. (You can read here about why you should avoid used phone booths. )
You’ll have the best of both worlds: the cost savings and easy collaboration of an open office with the ability to provide privacy and quiet workspaces for everyone!
Leave a comment: