Getting the Right Acoustic Result for Your Small Business
Posts by Russell on in Industrial, Sound Control Solutions
Why? Well, think about it. Your office space might be spacious enough, offer the right amount of storage and have a decent sandwich shop ten minutes away, but does it have a private space for meetings or appraisals? Will your staff be disturbed by the noise from the road outside? Will noisy phone conversations mean they disturb each other?
Increasing Business = Increasing Soundproofing
The more people you fill a business premises with, the more consideration you need to give to the acoustics. The more staff you have the greater the noise levels, but also with less distance between people the more condensed that noise becomes. Creating awareness in the workplace – asking people to keep phone conversations to a reasonable level or keep mobiles on silent – will certainly help, but unless your space is able to cope with day-to-day noise, you could find stress levels get high as morale levels get low.
Design for just the Eyes?
In an article for The Guardian in 2014, acoustics expert and author of Sound Business Julian Treasure explained that it’s just as important for a building to perform acoustically as it is visually. “We experience every space in five senses so it’s strange that architects design just for the eyes,” he said. “Sound in a space affects us profoundly. It changes our heart rate, breathing, hormone secretion, brain waves, it affects our emotions and our cognition.” Treasure adds that research shows that people struggle to perform knowledge-based tasks in areas where other people’s conversations can be heard. “Productivity can be degraded by up to two thirds.”
Good Acoustics Improve Productivity and Concentration
Likewise, while most people will be able to imagine how a meeting room will perform visually and spatially, it’s very rare that they will take a moment to evaluate sound. Reverberation rates and times are not something the average employer will be schooled in, so it’s always a good idea to involve an acoustic technician. From people to printers, telephones to computer terminals, you might be surprised at how cumulative sound all adds up, but equally you may be shocked at how easy it is to significantly reduce that noise with the right soundproofing products. For bigger spaces this might be a suspended ceiling or acoustic flooring solution, but there are also things smaller businesses can do. Even if you’re a one-man band or a family business, acoustic panels can have an impact on productivity and concentration levels.
So whether you are refitting a spare room or garage to accommodate a small office, or growing your ambitions with a new and exciting premises, Hush Acoustics could help you ensure your building is up to scratch today and for the future.