Avoid noise pollution and be as efficient as possible with these practical tips.

Loud and distracting background noise interferes with worker's ability to do their job and can also impact on their health. In a noisy office environment, with loud office machines or with people talking over the phone, it is more difficult to concentrate on your work.

For employees who are largely phone based it can be very difficult for them to focus on their own conversation and hear what the person is saying when they can hear their colleague's call also. Research indicates that this sort of noise pollution in a work environment will lead to greatly reduced productivity and it is easy to see how.

Here are some simple noisy office solution tips to help improve productivity at work;

1) Use Fabrics Where Possible

Sound travels in waves. If there are many hard surfaces in an office then sound will have the luxury of bouncing around causing distraction and irritation. Fabrics help absorb this noise, helping to reduce the amount of sound bouncing around. This will result in a lower noise level over all which will lead to increased productivity.

2) Use Acoustic Accessories

For open plan offices with large amounts of people often times fabrics or softer materials may not be enough to dampen the sound significantly. If this is the case have a look at using absorbant fabric screens and ceiling clouds to help reduce the noise. Ceiling clouds are an excellent option to improve productivity without adding something unsightly to the office interior.

3) Keep Loud Printers Away From Workers

Printers can be be loud and frustrating especially for those sitting nearest to them. Making sure printers are away from workers is an excellent idea not just for the reduced noise pollution but also as it means employees must leave their chair and walk to print items thus breaking up monotonous sitting.

4) Ask About Noise When Choosing Office Machines 

To lead on from the last point, when buying office machines always ask about noise levels when they are in use. Eliminating the risk of negatively impacting productivity should be ensured prior to purchasing office machines. Office machines should improve one's ability to work and their efficiency to do so, they shouldn't reduce productivity.

For more information regarding workplace ergonomics or to arrange a Free Consultation with one of our Ergonomic Consultants at our Dublin City Centre Showroom on Clare Street (Near Merrion Square, opposite the National Art Gallery) get in touch on 01 6110200.