The art of acoustics: understanding sound in the workplace
Insight
The art of acoustics: understanding sound in the workplace
Image courtesy of Haiken
According to a 2016 workplace study1 carried out by our client Oxford Economics, having an office environment that allows them to focus on their work without interruptions is a top priority for employees from a range of different industries.
In fact, the highest number of employees (29%) ranked this as the thing they find most important about their work environment. Compared with 14% who find having their own space to be most important and, incredibly, just 1% who named natural light as their top priority. And yet, the same study shows that minimising distractions from excessive noise is thought of as the least considered aspect when it comes to workplace design.
This month, we’re exploring the fascinating and, sadly, often overlooked art of acoustics to provide businesses with the information and inspiration they need to strike the perfect sonic balance in their space.
Last week, we discussed why it’s so important to manage noise pollution in offices by delving into five of the key benefits of great workplace acoustics.
Now, let’s take a look at the main culprits that are causing staff to lose focus.
Image courtesy of Haiken
The science of sound
We probably all remember learning about how sound works at school.
But just in case that information was filed away deep in your memory archive along with Pythagoras’ Theorem and how long division works, here’s a quick recap:
Sound is created by vibrations that send pressure waves through air, solids, liquid or gas. Our inner ear converts these vibrations into electrical signals, which our brain then processes in order to perceive the sound being transmitted.
The sounds we hear are defined by two main characteristics:
1. Frequency
Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz) and is perceived as the pitch or tone of a sound. The higher the soundwave’s frequency, the higher the pitch. Humans with normal hearing can hear sounds between 20-20,000 Hz. However, the recommended level in the workplace is 100-5000 Hz.2
2. Amplitude / Intensity
Measured in decibels (dB), amplitude determines the volume of the sound. Workplace acoustic experts recommend that the decibel level of background noise within the workplace is kept to around 45 dB. However, levels often range from between 60-80 dB.3
But hertz and decibels are not the only factors that will cause peace and quiet loving employees to tear their hair out.
Image courtesy of Haiken
The perfect sonic storm
People, printers, ringtones, coffee machines and the incessant tapping of keys to name a few, all contribute to three types of sound within the workplace.
1. Direct sound
This is sound that reaches your ear directly without interacting with any other surfaces within the environment. Direct sound is all we hope to be able to hear when having a conversation with a colleague. But this is certainly not always the case.
2. Reflected sound
Reflected sound has interacted with a surface before reaching our ear. Reflected sounds are a particular nuisance in modern workplaces, many of which have eschewed absorptive carpets and walls in favour of reflective hard surfaces and open plan layouts that do little to control unruly soundwaves.
3. Reverberation
Reverberation is the time it takes for an original sound source to decay until it can no longer be heard. These days, popular minimalist finishes such as marble and polished concrete do little to absorb sound, meaning staff can be subjected to reverberations from multiple sources all at once.
In offices where little attempt has been made to achieve a good acoustic balance, direct sound, reflected sound and reverberations merge to create a cacophony that our brains struggle to unravel.
Not only does this make it difficult for staff to understand vital conversations with colleagues, but the need for their brains to work overtime to make sense of so many conflicting sound signals causes mental fatigue, headaches and a loss of focus and concentration.
So how can businesses that are hoping to transform their workplace still hope to achieve an open, modern space that encourages collaboration without driving staff to distraction?
Come back next week when our in-house acoustics expert, Senior Designer Rowan Montague-Smith will be sharing his top tips and inspiration for how to achieve the perfect acoustic balance in the workplace.
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