The Growing Challenge of Workplace Noise

Concerns over noise in the workplace are nothing new. Chatty coworkers, clanging equipment, and beeping electronics have long disrupted focus. But in recent years, acoustical problems have become especially pronounced. Our global Evolving Workplace Study revealed that noise is the number-one challenge facing organizations.

This issue is amplified by several macro-level shifts. Hybrid work policies are stabilizing, bringing more people into the office more often. At the same time, real estate footprints are shrinking, and worker density is increasing. Together, these shifts—along with the rise of video calls and evolving work behaviors—make acoustic planning increasingly challenging.

While the primary purpose of the office is to foster collaboration and connection, employees still need access to quiet, focused spaces throughout their day. This dual need for interaction and concentration underscores the importance of designing environments that flex to support both.

Emerging Sources of Workplace Noise

Several new sources of noise are disrupting the contemporary workplace.

• Adjacencies
  In many modern offices, spaces fall along a spectrum—from collaborative, vibrant zones to heads-down, deep focus areas, with small group interaction spaces somewhere in the middle. It is important to consider space proximity and adjacencies for acoustic balance.
  
  Naturally, group collaboration spaces tend to be the most auditorily active, filled with the sounds of brainstorming and spontaneous discussion. Issues arise when offices place quiet and loud zones adjacently without employing acoustic design. This can unwittingly create a tension between workers who are engaged in disparate activities. Loud areas can heavily weigh on workers, leading to outcomes like stress, loss of productivity, and lack of comfort.
  
  
• Shrinking Office Footprints + More People in Office
  Our study uncovered 2 additional trends that contribute to workplace noise: shrinking real estate footprints and increased worker density. As organizations reduce their square footage while bringing more people into the office, the result is a logical increase in disruptive chatter and ambient noise.
  
  For respondents who reported both decreased real estate and increased density, acoustics emerged as a significantly greater challenge than for those who did not. This finding reinforces the idea that packing more people into smaller spaces exacerbates noise issues.

• Video Calls
  The rise of hybrid work has brought with it a surge in video calls. While this technology is invaluable for bridging gaps between remote and in-office participants, it introduces a new format for noisy conversations and acoustic complexity.

The goal isn’t to eliminate noise entirely—doing so could result in a lifeless, demotivating environment—but utilize acoustic design principles and solutions when needed.

Solving for Noise

To overcome these noise challenges, a multifaceted approach, blending design, communication, and acoustic solutions, is recommended.

Planning for Activities, Not Just Spaces

Effective space planning begins with understanding what people actually do throughout their day. Planning for activities, rather than generic space types, ensures environments support real work modes. This approach is grounded in understanding user needs.

Empowering Employees with Choice & Control

Employees should have the flexibility to choose spaces that suit their tasks. A worker seeking deep focus shouldn’t be relegated to a bustling collaboration zone. Booking acoustic pods for video calls or enclosed meeting spaces for heads-down work can significantly improve productivity and comfort.

Even within predesignated spaces, giving users control over elements like lighting and sound fosters autonomy and engagement. When people can tailor their environment to their needs, they’re more likely to feel comfortable, focused, and productive.

Communicating Space Intent to Reduce Misuse

Even the best-designed office can fall short if its intent isn’t clearly communicated. Facilities teams and workplace leaders should educate employees on the purpose of each area. This helps prevent inappropriate use, like loud conversations in quiet zones or solo work in large conference rooms.

Barriers & Buffers

Clear boundaries between areas can help mitigate noise transfer. These boundaries might include walls, panels, or simply enough distance to provide relief.

Dedicated Acoustic Solutions

In addition to these indirect strategies, facing the acoustic problems head on is critical. Thoughtful acoustic solutions such as sound-absorbing surfaces, noise-reducing partitions, and sound masking systems can significantly improve comfort and performance in open-plan environments.

Incorporating some or all these elements can help preserve the activity of the office while minimizing distractions. 

Designing for a Spectrum of Sound

Though the sources of workplace noise are novel, the acoustic challenges have persisted over time. The most effective office plans don’t aim to eliminate noise entirely but embrace it in moderation, creating a healthy office “buzz” while supporting diverse work modes.

To walk the line between buzz and chaos, organizations need not only develop their spaces focusing on what their employees will do in the space, but also their social norms and culture surrounding appropriate times and areas to contribute to the office hum.