What are 'silent spaces' in offices?
Some people have the ability to concentrate on the task at hand regardless of the noise present around them. They abstract themselves almost magically. However, they represent the exception: the majority of people need sonically pleasant and quiet environments to avoid constant distractions and maintain non-debilitating levels of stress. In this sense, many offices are already implementing soundproofing solutions that provide both privacy and silence to their workers, among which silent booths and silent rooms stand out particularly. But what are exactly the benefits of having these spaces?
Improvement of productivity
Both silent booths and silent rooms, the latter being much larger versions of the former, provide workers with an opportunity to minimize or even eliminate surrounding noise in order to focus on pending tasks for long periods without ever leaving that bubble of concentration. This, obviously, results in an improvement in productivity, both in quantitative and qualitative terms, as creativity requires mental silence to generate innovative ideas, which impacts the overall performance of the company and brings it closer to achieving its global objectives.
Stress reduction
Stress is one of the main enemies of psychological well-being. Sometimes, the demands of work itself moderately increase its levels, but the problem arises when the movement around the worker leads to critical points that affect both their performance and happiness. And the latter, unlike what happened many decades ago, is at the center of priorities for many companies. After all, an unhappy worker is much more likely to leave the company in search of other opportunities. In conclusion, soundproofing brings talent retention.
Organizational flexibility
One of the most thriving trends in office design is open design. In recent years, companies have realized that free interaction among their workers, far from causing distractions and a decrease in productivity, leads to better collaboration and enrichment of different areas. However, it would not be wise to have a completely open office without soundproofed corners where workers can achieve total serenity when needed. It is in this mixed version, with both open and closed options, that guarantees optimal organizational flexibility.
Quality communication
Silent rooms are not always conceived as spaces of solitude where the worker can get away from noise. In reality, they often serve as meeting places among employees who need to communicate calmly and in depth. Sometimes to resolve interpersonal issues. Other times to discuss work proposals. In any case, they find the ideal conditions there to do so and to move forward successfully. Furthermore, both these rooms and the booths allow for much more fruitful communication with the outside world, whether through phone calls or video calls. They are environments that guarantee non-interruption.
Emotional rest
Emotions are part of the basic human mental toolkit and do not disappear when workers cross the office entrance door. In this sense, companies are paying increasing attention to the emotional satisfaction of their teams, which at certain times involves providing them with environments where they can reconnect with themselves and sort out their emotions. Once again, silent rooms are key, as they facilitate rest, disconnection, and relaxation, elements that in a certain way reset the mood and recharge the necessary energies to continue with the day.
Sense of autonomy
21st-century workers understand the need for organizational hierarchy but seek environments that allow them to be autonomous to the extent possible to make their own decisions. This is where soundproof solutions come back into play: the worker has in them, unlike what happens in open spaces, total control over their immediate environment. And not only in terms of sound but also in terms of lighting, thermal comfort, or prioritization of tasks according to their own criteria. Ultimately, silent booths and rooms work in favor of both workers and companies. Their successes are intertwined.
