Open-plan offices can encourage collaboration, flexibility, and communication, but they can also create a common workplace problem: excessive noise. Conversations, phone calls, meetings, footsteps, and equipment sounds can quickly build up, making it difficult for employees to concentrate.
Fortunately, reducing workplace noise does not always require major structural changes. With thoughtful office design, suitable sound-absorbing materials, and a few practical adjustments, businesses can create quieter and more comfortable environments while keeping the benefits of an open layout.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Open-plan offices remain a contested approach to workplace design. While shared spaces can make communication and flexible working easier, research has repeatedly identified unwanted speech and lack of acoustic privacy as significant sources of distraction.
This article therefore focuses on a practical question rather than assuming that open-plan design is inherently better: if a workplace already uses an open layout, how can its acoustic environment be improved without unnecessarily rebuilding the space?
In many cases, the answer starts with understanding the problem before buying a solution. Noise that echoes around a room, conversations travelling between desks, and sound passing through walls or doors are different acoustic problems and may require different responses.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Sound absorption and soundproofing are not the same thing. Absorptive materials can reduce reverberation within a room but may do relatively little to stop noise passing between rooms.
- Speech is particularly distracting. The problem is often not simply how loud an office is, but how clearly nearby conversations can be understood.
- Layout matters. Separating collaborative, social and phone-call areas from concentration-heavy work can reduce disruption before additional products are installed.
- Walls are only part of the acoustic environment. Ceilings, floors, furniture, partitions and the distance between workstations all influence how sound travels.
- Measure the problem where possible. Effective acoustic design should respond to how a space is actually used rather than simply adding more absorptive material.
- Consider the environmental cost of the solution. Durability, recycled content, emissions, repairability and end-of-life options can all matter when specifying acoustic materials.
START HERE: WHAT KIND OF NOISE PROBLEM DO YOU HAVE?
Before changing the office, identify what employees are actually experiencing.
The room sounds echoey or harsh:
This is likely to involve excessive reverberation. Absorptive ceilings, wall treatments, furnishings and other soft surfaces may help.
You can clearly follow conversations several desks away:
Speech intelligibility and the spread of sound across the office may be the bigger problem. Layout, workstation spacing, screens, absorption and dedicated quiet areas can all play a role.
Noise is coming through a wall, door or meeting-room partition:
This is primarily a sound-transmission problem. Adding absorptive panels inside the room may make it sound better but will not necessarily prevent sound travelling through the building fabric.
One part of the office is consistently causing disruption:
Consider zoning first. Moving phone calls, informal meetings or collaborative work away from concentration areas can sometimes address the source rather than treating the symptom.
KEY DATA: WHY CONVERSATIONS MATTER SO MUCH
Office noise is not simply a question of decibels. How understandable the sound is can matter just as much.
Experimental research on open-plan offices has found that unattended speech can interfere with cognitive tasks, with researchers specifically examining the relationship between speech intelligibility and distraction. This helps explain why a relatively ordinary conversation nearby can be harder to ignore than a more constant background sound.
For workplace designers, that shifts the goal from simply making an office “quieter” to controlling how far intelligible speech travels.
DESIGN NOTE: THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD FOR THIS
Office acoustics can be assessed more systematically than simply standing in the room and deciding whether it feels noisy.
ISO 3382-3:2022 sets out methods for measuring room-acoustic performance in open-plan offices. Rather than looking only at conventional reverberation, it includes measurements concerned with how speech behaves as it travels across an open workspace.
That is an important distinction. Two offices can have similar overall sound levels yet provide very different experiences if conversations remain clearly intelligible over long distances.
For persistent or expensive acoustic problems, professional measurement can therefore be more useful than repeatedly adding products by trial and error.
KEY DATA: ACOUSTICS ARE PART OF WORKPLACE WELLBEING
Poor acoustics are increasingly treated as an indoor-environment quality issue rather than simply an inconvenience.
The International WELL Building Institute includes sound as a distinct component of healthy-building design, covering issues including acoustic planning, sound barriers, background noise and the relationship between noisy and acoustically sensitive areas.
Australian Green Star guidance likewise includes Acoustic Comfort within its Healthy category.
The broader lesson is useful even for offices that are not pursuing building certification: a comfortable workplace depends on more than temperature, lighting and furniture. The acoustic environment deserves to be designed deliberately too.
SUSTAINABILITY CHECK: BEFORE BUYING ACOUSTIC PRODUCTS
Improving workplace acoustics can involve a substantial amount of new material, so environmental performance deserves consideration alongside acoustic performance.
When comparing wall panels, ceiling treatments, screens and other products, look beyond colour and sound-absorption ratings. Useful questions include:
- Does the manufacturer disclose the product’s material composition?
- Does it contain recycled material, and is that claim independently documented?
- Is an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) or equivalent life-cycle information available?
- Are indoor emissions such as VOCs documented?
- Can individual components be replaced rather than discarding the complete system?
- Can the material be reused, recycled or taken back by the manufacturer at end of life?
- Is it sufficiently durable for the expected lifespan of the workplace?
And before purchasing anything, consider whether part of the problem can be solved through layout, zoning, reuse of existing furnishings or relocation of noisy activities. The lowest-impact acoustic intervention may be the one that avoids unnecessary new materials altogether.
Understanding Noise in Open-Plan Offices
Before choosing a solution, it helps to understand where unwanted noise comes from and why it becomes such a problem in shared workspaces.
Common Sources of Office Noise
Noise in an open-plan workplace can come from many everyday activities, including:
- Employees talking across desks
- Phone and video calls
- Meetings and group discussions
- Office equipment and machinery
- Doors opening and closing
- Foot traffic through busy areas
- Background conversations
- Noise travelling from kitchens and breakout spaces
Because there are fewer physical barriers between employees, sound can travel across large areas. Hard surfaces such as glass, concrete, plasterboard, and exposed ceilings can make the situation worse by reflecting sound instead of absorbing it.
Why Excessive Noise Matters
A noisy workplace can affect more than comfort. Constant background sound may make it harder for employees to focus on detailed tasks, participate in meetings, or communicate clearly with colleagues.
It can also create a more stressful working environment. For businesses looking to improve concentration and overall comfort, addressing acoustics should therefore be considered an important part of office design rather than an afterthought.
Practical Ways to Reduce Noise in Open-Plan Workspaces
The most effective approach is usually to combine several acoustic strategies rather than relying on one product or design change.
1. Use Sound-Absorbing Wall Treatments
Large walls can contribute significantly to noise problems, particularly when they are made from hard materials. Sound waves can bounce between walls and other surfaces, increasing reverberation and making conversations seem louder.
Installing acoustic wall panels can help absorb unwanted sound and reduce reflections. They can also be incorporated into the overall interior design, allowing businesses to improve the acoustic environment without sacrificing the appearance of the workplace.
Panels can be positioned strategically in areas where conversations or other sounds are most noticeable. For example, placing sound-absorbing treatments near meeting areas, collaborative zones, or large reflective walls can help control sound where it matters most.
2. Treat the Ceiling
The ceiling is another important area to consider, especially in offices with high ceilings or exposed architectural surfaces.
Suspended acoustic treatments can absorb sound from below and help reduce the amount of noise reflected around the room. Acoustic ceiling rafts are particularly useful because they can be installed within open areas without requiring a complete ceiling replacement.
They can also become part of the visual identity of an office. Different shapes, sizes, and finishes can be used to complement modern workplace interiors while providing an additional layer of sound absorption.
3. Improve the Overall Office Layout
Acoustic products work best when they are combined with thoughtful space planning. Simply installing panels may not solve every noise issue if particularly loud activities are positioned directly beside quiet work areas.
Consider dividing the office into different zones, such as:
- Quiet areas for focused individual work
- Collaborative spaces for group discussions
- Meeting rooms for private conversations
- Informal breakout areas
- Dedicated spaces for phone and video calls
Separating these activities can prevent different types of noise from competing with one another.
4. Add Soft Furnishings and Materials
Office furniture and interior finishes can also influence how sound behaves.
Carpets, rugs, upholstered seating, curtains, and other soft materials can absorb some sound that would otherwise reflect from hard surfaces. Even relatively small changes can contribute to a more comfortable acoustic environment when used alongside dedicated acoustic treatments.
For example, a breakout area with upholstered furniture and sound-absorbing surfaces may be noticeably quieter than an identical area containing only glass, metal, and hard flooring.
5. Consider Desk-Level Acoustic Solutions
Noise travelling directly between neighbouring workstations can be particularly distracting. Desk screens and workstation dividers can help create a greater sense of separation while maintaining the open character of the office.
These solutions are especially useful for employees who regularly perform concentration-heavy tasks but still need to work within a shared environment.
Best Practices for Better Office Acoustics
Creating a quieter workplace is not simply about adding as many acoustic products as possible. A considered approach usually delivers better results.
Assess the Space First
Start by identifying where noise is coming from and where it is most disruptive. Walk through the office during different parts of the day and pay attention to areas where conversations, calls, or equipment sounds become particularly noticeable.
You should also consider how the office is used. A healthy space designed primarily for collaborative work may require a different acoustic strategy from one containing many individual workstations.
Combine Different Acoustic Treatments
Using a combination of wall, ceiling, furniture, and layout solutions can provide more balanced results.
For example, an office might combine:
- Wall-mounted sound absorption
- Suspended ceiling treatments
- Carpet or other softer flooring
- Acoustic desk screens
- Dedicated meeting and phone areas
- Strategic workstation placement
This layered approach can help reduce reflections while also limiting the spread of sound between different areas.
Avoid Overlooking Meeting Spaces
Meeting rooms can become surprisingly noisy, particularly when they contain large glass walls, hard floors, and other reflective surfaces.
Good acoustic planning can make conversations easier to understand and improve the experience of both in-person and video meetings. Ceiling treatments and wall absorption can be especially useful where echoes are noticeable.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Treating Only One Surface
One of the most common mistakes is focusing entirely on walls while ignoring the ceiling, floor, furniture, and overall layout.
Sound interacts with the entire room. Addressing multiple surfaces and considering how people use the space can produce a more effective result.
Choosing Products Without Considering the Room
Not every acoustic treatment is suitable for every environment. Room size, ceiling height, surface materials, occupancy, and the type of noise all influence which solutions are appropriate.
Before making significant changes, consider the specific acoustic challenges of the space rather than choosing products based solely on appearance.
Confusing Sound Absorption With Soundproofing
Acoustic treatment and soundproofing address different problems. Sound absorption is primarily concerned with controlling reflections and reverberation within a room, while soundproofing focuses on limiting sound transmission between spaces.
Understanding this distinction can help businesses choose a solution that matches their actual problem.
Creating a More Comfortable Open-Plan Workplace
Reducing noise does not mean eliminating communication or turning an open-plan office into a collection of isolated rooms. The goal is to create balance.
Employees should be able to collaborate when necessary while still having places where they can concentrate. By combining thoughtful space planning with suitable acoustic treatments, businesses can make open-plan environments more comfortable and functional.
It is also worth reviewing the acoustic environment as the workplace evolves. Hybrid working, changing team sizes, new technology, and different working patterns can all affect how an office is used.
Conclusion
Noise is one of the biggest challenges associated with modern open-plan offices, but it is also a problem that can be addressed through careful design. Wall treatments, ceiling solutions, soft furnishings, desk-level separation, and intelligent zoning can all contribute to a quieter and more productive environment.
For businesses planning an office refurbishment or looking for practical ways to improve workplace comfort, investing in office acoustic solutions can be a useful starting point. Combining appropriate wall and ceiling treatments with better space planning can create a workplace that supports both collaboration and focused work.