Quiet spaces in the office can take many forms. The bottom line though is that these spaces are there for a purpose: to provide your employees with a private space where they can comfortably focus on the work that needs to be done.
Not every office has the luxury of this type of space, but businesses are becoming more aware of the associated benefits, for employees and the business as a whole. Therefore, it’s so important that you consider integrating quiet spaces into your Sydney office fit-out.
Here’s why.
All employees are not the same
Every employee is different, meaning that each employee has a different way of working. It’s in the interest of your organisation to ensure that employees can play to their strengths… and providing versatile workspaces will allow employees to work in the environment best suited to them.
Some people enjoy working in a loud, vibrant environment, feeding off the energy of others. Other workers prefer a group environment, whereby they can use colleagues to bounce ideas off of each other. Still more office workers enjoy working in a quiet, private environment, away from the hustle and bustle of the main workspace.
The main space of your office will probably cater to those first two working types, but it’s often those who prefer quiet working who suffer most in an open-plan office. Therefore, catering to these workers with quiet spaces will ideally create a happier, more relaxed, and more productive workforce.
In fact, one study of 10,000 office workers found that 65% of them needed a quiet, relaxed space to get their best work done.
There’s more to it as well. In fact, quiet spaces promote relaxation among your staff, and research shows that when we’re relaxed, we’re much more productive. What’s more, happy employees are more productive by about 12%… so make sure you’re keeping that in mind when designing your office.
Privacy is paramount
Employees all over the world complain about a lack of privacy, thanks to the modern obsession with open plan working. This style is indeed cost-effective, but it does come with downsides, including distraction, privacy concerns, and increased risk of illness.
Most businesses will have some sort of sensitive information present in the office. Sometimes, staff may need to have private meetings or work on projects that require a higher level of confidentiality than would normally be required. Meeting rooms may be available for this purpose, but these days many offices sport meeting rooms with glass walls, completely transparent.
This is where quiet spaces can offer a point of difference, particularly if they are entirely enclosed. Opaque walls will keep prying eyes out, as well as important audio in, meaning privacy will be a priority at all times. Dynamism is the name of the game and with quiet spaces like these, your employees will be able to work effectively, while also maintaining confidentiality.
Consider your materials
It’s always important to consider the materials that will be used to craft your workspace. In a quiet space, it’s even more important. Whether your quiet spaces are small nooks or larger rooms, the materials used can have a direct impact on privacy, as well as reduce distractions.
For example, noise is a big problem in every single open-plan office… unless your employees are constantly working in total silence! But the impact that materials can have on noise carrying through your workspace cannot be understated.
Flooring is the first area to consider; concrete floors, tiled floors, and other similar, hard surfaces will bounce sound around your workspace, increasing the distance that noise will carry. That then increases the likelihood of your staff being distracted by chatting and other workplace noise.
To minimise the noise in your quiet space, ensure that you’re using carpet as a floor covering, as well as solid partitions and ceiling tiles. These partitions will also act to maximise privacy, by ensuring that your employees aren’t visible from the main workspace, other staff, or even the public.
Converting existing spaces
One option to consider when adding quiet working areas to your office is to convert existing spaces.
This approach can be very cost-effective, faster than building new spaces from scratch, and easier to coordinate. For example, meeting rooms are often a good option. This is because meeting rooms are usually only in use about 40-60% of the time, while workstations are in use 80-90% of the time, on average. That’s a big chunk of time that these rooms aren’t being used at all and therefore, the floor space is essentially costing your business for no return.
Working with a Sydney office fit-out company to convert your meeting rooms into quiet working areas will be a smooth, hassle-free process. At Niche Projects, we’ll convert your spaces with ease, turning them into sensational quiet working spaces. We can also ensure that there is dual functionality so that your employees can still hold meetings in these rooms.
If you have several small nooks around your office, these are also excellent options for conversion into quiet working spaces. While quiet working pods can set you back between $3000 and $15,000 each, simple nooks can do the same job for much less outlay.
Soundproofed walls and comfortable backing make for an ergonomic workspace, and a fold-out desk means your employees will be able to utilise their laptops with ease.
Professional design is critical
Integrating quiet spaces into your office design is one thing, but you need to do it properly if they’re going to have the desired effect. This is where a Sydney office design company is imperative.
Office design is a delicate business, as every workspace has countless moving parts. These different workspaces all impact the employee experience and therefore, they need to be in harmony with one another.
Quiet spaces are an important part of the employee experience and will inevitably have a direct impact on the performance of your staff. Therefore, hiring a professional Sydney office design company like Niche Projects is simply a must.
We have years of experience in designing, fitting-out and rejuvenating offices all across Sydney, improving working environments for all sorts of organisations. If you’re looking for a cutting-edge quiet space in your office, get in touch with Niche Projects today.
