According to a recent study, 70% of US companies opt for open-plan offices, this proportion is 60% for French companies(
1). Unlike the 1990s, when this type of space was found mainly in communications and high-tech companies, open-plan offices are now found in all types of businesses. This choice of office configuration comes with its share of problems, of which noise is the worst.
The 2013 study initially surveyed 217 people working in 7 different companies, followed by a second survey in 2017 of 617 people working in 23 different companies. The study made it possible to draw up this list of the principal noise irritants;
#1- Intelligible conversations;
#2- Unintelligible conversations;
#3- Phone ringtones;
#4- Noise related to the activity of one person;
#5- People who pass by the workstation;
#6- Machines in operation;
#7- Noise related to the activity of several people;
(Link to article: N. Perrin Jegen & P. Chevret (2017) Effect of noise on comfort in openplan offices: application of an assessment questionnaire, Ergonomics, 60:1, 6-17)The patented technologies of Soft dB Sound Masking Systems, make it possible to eleminate noise irritants. Improving the productivity of office workers by increasing confidentiality and comfort is now possible with Soft dB Sound Masking Systems.
For more information, please visit our website
www.softdb.com/sound-masking/