Creating Quiet Zones Without a Major Office Renovation
Is your open plan office too loud to think about?
You are not alone. Noise pollution is office shared workers’ biggest complaint today. And the problem is…
Many people believe the only solution is a major costly refurbishment. New partitions. New rooms. Weeks of builders and dust.
But that’s simply not true.
Create tranquil, quiet spaces with just a few strategic adjustments (and the perfect freestanding desk dividers). In just one afternoon. No permits. No builders. No interruption to the workday.
Here’s how to do it…
What’s inside this guide:
- Why Office Noise Is Such A Big Deal
- What Are Freestanding Desk Dividers?
- 5x Ways To Create Quiet Zones Fast
- How To Pick The Right Dividers
Why Office Noise Is Such A Big Deal
Noise doesn’t just annoy people. It costs real money.
Noise caused by loud talking is the distraction keeping workers least productive in the office. That’s according to a Logitech survey where 71% of workers agreed returning to work is making them a lot less productive. Noise was found to be the biggest productivity killer of all distractions with 43% of workers sending messaging.
Noise pollution in offices is also becoming a bigger problem. In fact, back in 2022 it was only 43%. Last year 81% of employees said noise impacted their performance at work.
Think about what that means:
Your team comes into the office to do their jobs… and the office distracts them from it. Some even pack up and go home. That Logitech study also discovered that more than 50% of employees have switched seats or left the office to escape distractions like chatting.
Not great, right?
The good news is you don’t need to knock down walls to fix it.
What Are Freestanding Desk Dividers?
Freestanding desk dividers are simply screens with feet that rest on the floor. They don’t require clamps or screws to your desk. Just position where you want them.
This means they’re ideal for modular offices that need to reconfigure regularly. One week you may require a quiet space for your finance department. The following week you might need somewhere for a project team to concentrate. All you do is pick up the panels and move them where they’re needed.
The majority of freestanding dividers are wrapped in sound absorbing material. This absorbs voices and mobiles rather than echoing around the office. A tall, sturdy freestanding desk partition also reduces visual distractions such as people walking past your desk.
In short, they give you:
- Less noise travelling between desks
- More privacy for calls and deep work
- Total flexibility to change your layout
All without a single builder on site.
5 Ways To Create Quiet Zones Fast
Alright, now the fun stuff. Five easy ways to transform a noisy office into a peaceful one. Try a few. Experiment and find what suits your group.
Map Your Noise Hot Spots
Before you move anything, find out where the noise is coming from.
Walk through the office throughout the day. Observe. Where are people making phone calls? Where do clusters of people sit and talk? Where’s the printer? The kitchen? The meeting table?
These are the noisy hot spots. Your quiet zone should be located as far away from these as possible. Seems obvious…yet many companies locate their “focus” desks next to the coffee pot!
Build Focus Pods With Dividers
This is the most effective trick on the list.
Cluster four to six desks together near a corner. Place freestanding desk dividers around the desks in either a U or L formation. This helps give privacy by making it feel like a “room inside of a room.”
The baffles interrupt the straight line the sound waves travel between sides of the office. Less people can be heard. Those inside can concentrate.
Pretty simple, right?
Tip: Choose dividers that reach at least eye level when seated. Screens that only come up to your waist are aesthetically pleasing but won’t help with noise.
Add Soft Surfaces
Hard surfaces amplify noise. Glass, blank walls, concrete floors and metal desks all reflect sound throughout the space.
Soft surfaces do the opposite. They soak sound up.
Hang some rugs. Install acoustic wall panels. Pinboards work too. Add plants and cloth chairs. Soft surfaces make your office feel quieter. You can even notice a difference acoustically. Throw in some dividers and it transforms.
Set Clear Quiet Zone Rules
Here’s something that gets missed a lot…
A silent zone only functions when everyone respects it as such. There should be some basic ground rules that are well communicated to all. For instance:
- No phone or video calls in the zone
- Keep chats short and low, or take them elsewhere
- Headphones for all music and videos
Hang a little sign so guests and new employees know etiquette as well. It’s free and can help a lot.
Move The Loud Stuff
Sometimes the easiest fix is to move the noise instead of the people.
Move the printer down the hall. Move sales folk (who are talking on the phone constantly) away from those who need to concentrate. Create a call area with partitions surrounding it to keep calls from echoing throughout the room.
Small changes. Big results.
How To Pick The Right Dividers
Did you know that not all freestanding desk dividers are created equal? Here are a few things you should know before purchasing:
- Height: Taller screens block more sound and give more privacy.
- Rating on acoustic ratings: Choose fabrics and cores that are constructed to reduce sound, not just enhance appearances.
- Stability: Wide, sturdy feet stop screens from wobbling or tipping over.
- Links and joins: Dividers that link together allowing you to easily create pods and corners.
Colour is important as well. Soft, soothing colours make a quiet zone feel quiet. Vibrant, loud colours can be used in social spaces, but keep the work areas easy on the eyes.
Remember… Shop for your office today, but think of next year’s office when you purchase. Flexible walls expand and adapt as your team does.
The best quiet zone is the one you can set up today.
Putting It All Together
You don’t have to undergo a massive refurbishment to create some quiet workspace for your team. Many of the solutions listed above can be completed in less than a day, and none require the hire of a builder. So, to quickly recap:
- Find your noise hot spots
- Use freestanding desk dividers to build focus pods
- Add soft surfaces to soak up sound
- Set simple rules for your quiet zones
- Move the loudest activities away from focus areas
If you start doing these things your office will feel less stressful in days, not months. Your employees will accomplish more, feel less overwhelmed and may even start to enjoy coming into work again.
That’s a win-win-win.
