Open plan offices have been popular for several years now, but there is now a growing trend for bosses to fit glass partitions to create separate quiet zones.
There are lots of advantages to having a floor with lots of desks and departments in one space, including encouraging creativity through collaborations, engendering friendships with colleagues, and boosting morale.
Having no walls across the office also makes the space look much larger and brighter, as the light is able to travel from one side of the building to the other without being broken up by obstacles in the way.
Therefore, workers are able to benefit from having natural daylight, chatting more and sharing ideas with one another.
However, there are also good reasons to have some areas cordoned off for quieter spaces. To find out more, read on.
Private meetings
Not everything in an office is suitable for public consumption. Therefore, if someone needs to have a private word with their boss or member of staff, there needs to be a room where they can do this.
Glass partitions are ideal, as they still allow the light to spread through the building, but they provide sound insulation. This means the noise from the rest of the office will not enter the room, so the parties involved can have a more sensitive conversation without being disturbed.
It also means they can say confidential things without the rest of the office hearing, whether they are sharing important company or client information or more personal revelations.
Although it is valuable to encourage a good social atmosphere within the office, staff need reassurance that some things they say need to remain private between themselves and their managers.
Focused work
Some people are able to switch off from their surroundings when they need to do focused work by plugging their headphones in and listening to music, or by using ear defenders.
However, for others, the hustle and bustle of a busy workplace is still too distracting for them.
Instead, they would benefit from a separate quiet area where they can take their laptop and get away from the noise and the constant flow of activity by their desks.
This is ideal when deadlines are looming as it enables people to really get their heads down without being disturbed by other colleagues who want to ask them questions or just want to chat.
Equally, quiet zones are great when people need to carry out longer written assignments or need to fully concentrate so they can come up with complicated solutions. Being distracted during these moments can be very irritating and may inhibit their creative process.
Accommodating sensory sensitive workers
Many people suffer from sensory processing disorder (SPD), which is when they are over- or under-sensitive to sensory stimuli, including sights, smells, movement, taste and, of course, sounds.
SPD is comorbid with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), both of which an increasing number of adults are being diagnosed due to there being greater awareness over the last few years.
If there are workers who think they might have a neurodevelopmental condition, even if they are not diagnosed, as this process itself can take years, they are likely to also have sensitivities when it comes to noise volume.
Workplaces are becoming more diverse and bosses want to be seen as being inclusive by making adjustments for their colleagues.
These include being able to take short breaks throughout the day, using noise-cancelling headphones, having a desk with a low light, and having a flexible working arrangement so they can avoid busy commutes or reduce distraction.
The Associate of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) also recommends managers help staff increase their concentration by not being given multiple tasks, having timers so they can regain focus when they go off track, and using a ‘do not disturb’ sign on their desk, email or phone so they can give their work their full attention.
It also suggests workers have somewhere separate to sit, saying it needs to be “quiet and away from distractions, for example, away from doors, busy phones, loud machinery”.
Although neurotypical people might not even notice these background sounds, someone with SPD will hear them at full volume clashing against each other all day long. This can become very disturbing and, after a while, they can find it really tiring trying to ignore them.
Having a distinct quiet zone where no machinery is kept and the chatter of colleagues, the ringing of telephones, and the tapping of other people’s keyboards cannot be heard will help them recharge during the working day.
This will result in them being more productive, and even needing to take less time off work, as they are able to avoid autism or ADHD burnout, when their nervous system becomes too stressed and exhausted.
