How Acoustic Screens Improve Soundproofing in Open-Plan Offices

As more offices are switching to a more collaborative open plan set up, the challenges that can arise from these office designs are becoming more clear, with noise pollution a growing concern for employee productivity. Despite the impact this can have on focus, a solution is quite simple and cost-effective; acoustic office screens.

The Problem with Noise in Open-Plan Offices

Impact of Noise on Productivity

The impact of noise distractions on productivity is clear, office noise is a huge interrupter when it comes to getting work done in an open work space. 

One study found that 69% of employees are negatively affected by office noise and that productivity can be reduced by up to 66% as a result of just one nearby conversation.

Employee Wellbeing and Comfort

It isn’t just productivity that can be impacted by noise in an open-plan office, but stress levels and fatigue can be amplified as employees aren’t as easily able to have a quiet moment to digest and process. Ensuring your team’s wellbeing and comfort are addressed by utilising strategically placed acoustic office screens can give you the best of both worlds.

What Are Acoustic Screens?

Overview of Acoustic Screens

Acoustic screens are an office divider that uses specific materials and designs to absorb soundwaves and reduce the amount of noise pollution in an office. These screens can be simple fabric and wood dividers or can be complex foam panels that can reduce noise by up to 80 percent.

Types of Acoustic Screens

An acoustic screen can be as large or small as your office requires, whether you want to set up a small ‘quiet zone’ for your team, or increased focus when employees are at their desks.

Free-standing screens:  these are often modular and easy to move around to create different quiet zones.

Desk dividers: these office screens are small and effective, able to be attached directly to a desk for targeted noise reduction.

Wall-mounted panels: for a more permanent soundproofing solution, these panels are highly effective at reducing noise – like music studio walls.

How Acoustic Screens Improve Soundproofing

Sound Absorption and Diffusion

Acoustic screens dull noise by either absorbing soundwaves in a foam or fabric material, or using an air gap to capture soundwaves and bounce them inside of a screen so they are deadened. These screens can be either placed in an area to keep sound in or out or can be targeted near loud areas so sound doesn’t travel further than desired.

Reducing Echo and Reverberation

Unlike hard surfaces like walls and windows which bounce soundwaves back into the room creating an echo or reverberation, acoustic office screens absorb the sound waves and either reduce echo significantly or fully prevent them. This is especially effective in large rooms with many surfaces for sound to bounce off. 

Enhancing Speech Privacy

Whether you need certain discussions to remain private or have team members that need to conduct calls without the noise carrying across the room, acoustic screens are vital for ensuring speech privacy in open-plan offices. Desk divider office screens are very effective at containing sound to each person’s area, and are especially useful in offices with a large team.

Benefits of Acoustic Screens in Open-Plan Offices

Improved Focus and Productivity

Background noise can become very disruptive in large offices, so being able to soundproof the area means your team will have immediately increased focus and in turn be able to maintain a higher level of productivity. Collaboration is enhanced when team members can discuss problems and then take some time to work on a solution before coming back together to discuss options. 

Better Collaboration Spaces

Communication and collaboration are vastly increased if team members are able to easily discuss work without stepping away from their desks or having work interrupted, leading to a more free-flowing work day.

Utilising acoustic screens that give employees the ability to take a minute of quiet to think and plan, means team members are better able to focus and solve issues.

Aesthetic and Functional Value

Acoustic office screens aren’t just effective at maintaining productivity and enhancing privacy, they can actually boost the aesthetics of your office space. Strategically placed acoustic screens or having smaller areas set aside as quiet spaces for calls and meetings can act as focal points or be used to create areas with a different aesthetic to the rest of the office. 

We stock a range of office screens made from high-quality materials that can double as work boards if backed with pin or velcro boards, and can be ordered in a very large range of colours and designs to amplify your office style.

Best Practices for Using Acoustic Screens in Open-Plan Offices

Placement and Layout Tips

Obviously having your acoustic screens located around the noisiest area is going to be beneficial, but you can approach placement strategically. Using modular screens to create a different layout in your office, or to separate ‘loud’ and ‘quiet’ zones are great options. High-traffic areas can also be contained within screens to ensure those sounds don’t leak into other parts of the office.

Combining Screens with Other Noise Reduction Strategies

If you want to really maximise the office noise reduction in your workspace, acoustic screens aren’t the only way to absorb sound waves. Thick carpets are great at catching noise, as can plants, and you can even experiment with white noise machines to counteract some of the background noise.

Regular Maintenance and Care

Acoustic screens are luckily quite easy to maintain, with many being able to clean with a simple vacuum or wiping with a damp cloth. For others, steam cleaning may be an option. 

Choosing the Right Acoustic Screens for Your Office

Factors to Consider

If deciding on the right acoustic screens for office noise reduction is posing a challenge, Buy Direct Online has made sure to stock a very large range of options so you can match or amplify your office style. Our screens are custom-made in a variety of sizes and materials, with noise reduction of up to 80 percent if you choose screens using Soundmesh G8 material.

Budget-Friendly Options

All of our screens are effective, so you don’t need to break the bank to reduce the noise in your office. As many of our screens come with custom options for partition feet and framing, you can get the best of both worlds by selecting a high-quality panel but saving some money if you don’t require premium fixtures. 

Customised Solutions

Not all acoustic screens are made alike, and if you’re after a specific setup, or want to make sure your screens match the aesthetics of your office, opting for a bespoke office screen is the best option. This gives you the freedom to select the right material for your use and a colour scheme that matches the design of your office or your brand colours.

The Role of Acoustic Screens in Modern Workspaces

You don’t have to sacrifice productivity if you want to increase collaboration and teamwork with an open-plan office setup, as Buy Direct Online’s range of acoustic office screens can help you control the noise levels no matter the size of your work space. 

Investing in acoustic screens not only helps your team remain focused and productive, but can enhance the aesthetics of your office space, and do so very cost-effectively. Check out the range at Buy Direct Online today and see just how you can maintain a healthy, productive workplace.