Call centre/office acoustics
Common acoustic problems
Productive, enjoyable work is less than optimal in many offices because of noise problems. Workstations with low backs and poor isolation cause low privacy and excess noise. Modern offices and call centres are often open plan and built with lots of flat parallel surfaces, mostly plasterboard and glass. These surfaces reflect sound causing unwanted noise in the form of echoes (known as reverberation). It’s generally quite easy to resolve with acoustic panels if the type and quantity are calculated properly (read how).
Important factors
Acoustic panels of any type that are used in an office or boardroom need to meet some critical criteria;
They must have compliance to the Building Code of Australia for Fire Hazard Safety (BCA C1.10)
They should be mould and bacteria resistant
They should be cleanable
They should have a good absorption coefficient that covers the range of speech
They should not fade or collapse over time
What does it look like?
The common foam or glasswool panels used in studios stand out like cheap, tardy after thoughts. The best option is to either make something that is hidden or make custom absorbers that fit with the decor. They can even be made into a feature combined with lighting, surface finishes etc.