noise – The Horton Standard

Most people spend more time at the office than their own home throughout the week. When moving into a new office, think beyond cubicles and desks so that you and your employees can be productive in an inspiring and comfortable atmosphere.

In our commercial projects, Horton Group continues to work closely with a range of business owners to design and build their dream offices. At our current commercial development, 350 Goose Lane Office Park, we have built offices for large national corporations, small business owners, and everything in between.

Below are six tips for creating a productive office space, no matter what industry you work in.

Ask for Employee Input

Ask your employees what their dream office would look like. You won’t be able to incorporate all of their ideas, but if you find out that 90% of the people working for you would utilize standing desks, for example, you can determine how to fit a couple into your office space.

When employees are given the opportunity to set up their own workspace, they have more satisfaction and better performance at work compared to employees who have no control over their environment.

Traffic flow

Utilizing the space efficiently is essential no matter what size office you have. Consider how people will move from work areas to meeting rooms, the bathroom, and kitchen areas. Keeping these common areas clear of clutter makes it much easier to move around the office. Traffic flow is especially important if you have customers or patients coming in and out of the office all day.

Don’t Neglect the Basics: Lighting, Noise, and Temperature

We’ve all been uncomfortable or distracted while on the job. The more you can eliminate small annoyances, the better. This means paying attention to lighting, noise, and temperature in the office.

Natural light is ideal, but not always possible. In spaces without windows, opt for overhead lighting options that mimic natural light. Unnecessary noise at work can decrease productivity and increase headaches. Ask your builder or contractor what can be done to eliminate noise from other offices. Finally, make sure the temperature can be easily controlled in the office.

Variety of Workspaces

A variety of workspace options is essential in increasing productivity. Some parts of the day may require an independent work station where people can tune out the rest of the office and tackle important phone calls or deadlines. Other times employees may need to connect with coworkers in a collaborative meeting area or a step into a quiet room to decompress. By incorporating numerous spaces to work in, people can move around throughout the day and tailor the space to their work needs.

Greenspace

Whenever possible, incorporate green space. A beautifully landscaped property can include an additional workspace in good weather. The benefits of green space for employees include increased job satisfaction and decreased stress.

Plan for Growth

As a business owner, chances are you have a 1, 5, and 10-year plan. Will the office you are creating today be able to hold your vision for the future? Take into consideration the fact that you will expand, leaving some wiggle room for reorganization.

Noise.

It can interrupt your workflow or wake you up from a deep sleep. Unnecessary noise can range from distracting to infuriating, and isn’t something you should deal with in the places you spend the most time in.

With all of our multi-unit buildings, whether a residential luxury condominium community or an office park, we concentrate on eliminating noise.

When you go into an old building, one of the things you may notice right away is the noise of footsteps from the floor above you or overhearing a conversation from a unit over. In the past, buildings were not always soundproofed because there weren’t solutions that were budget-friendly and effective. With today’s materials, soundproofing can be attained in any building. Below are some of the solutions to combat noise travel.

Walls

“Paper-thin” walls are no longer acceptable in buildings. To reduce noise from room to room, soundproofing the walls is an important step. It can be challenging to identify where noise is coming from, as sound travels the path of least resistance. When building, the entire space needs to be taken into consideration, including windows, vents, and doors.

Materials that are dense and resilient are best for blocking sound. For walls, this can be achieved with noise-reducing drywall, double walls (this is perfect for office spaces), and dense insulation.

Flooring

Flooring is another factor in eliminating unwanted noise from neighbors. Just like walls, layering up noise reducing products is most effective.

While carpet with padding underneath is one option for creating dense layers, most people prefer hardwood and tile in their homes. The Residences at 66 High Street were built with materials that make you forget about your upstairs neighbors. We start with a layer of Homasote soundproof board, which is made of 98% recycled materials. The next layer is AdvanTech plywood, followed by engineered hardwood flooring. These three layers help to eliminate noise while combining strength and moisture resistance.

If moving into a new building or searching for office space, ask what has been done to reduce noise. This will save you many headaches in the future.

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6 Tips for Creating a Productive Office Space