Office acoustics: how to reduce noise in open space

Office acoustics is the ability of a space to manage noise so that employees stay focused and productive. In open space offices, noise is the main problem: conversations, phone calls and echoes disrupt focus, increase fatigue and reduce the sense of privacy. The most effective way to solve acoustics is the ABC principle: absorbing sound, blocking its spread and zoning the space according to the type of work. The best result is achieved when acoustics are planned at the very start of the furnishing project, not only after move-in.

Why noise in an open space office is a problem

An open space office brings openness and easier communication, but without an acoustic plan it quickly becomes noisy. Research on the office environment consistently shows that unwanted speech from colleagues is one of the most common reasons for losing focus. The human brain finds it hard to ignore intelligible speech, so every background conversation pulls attention towards itself.

The consequences of poor acoustics are concrete and visible in everyday work:

• Weaker focus: every interruption requires time to get back into focus, which slows down tasks that demand thinking.
• Greater fatigue: constantly filtering out noise is a cognitive effort that drains employees by the end of the day.
• Lower productivity: more mistakes and slower completion of more demanding tasks.
• Lack of privacy: the feeling that everyone hears every call inhibits open conversations and raises stress.

For companies, procurement and architects, the message is clear: acoustics are not an aesthetic extra, but an investment in team efficiency and employee satisfaction. Poor acoustics often show up indirectly, for example as frequent work with headphones, fleeing to meeting rooms or complaints about not being able to work in a focused way. When a space solves these needs systematically, it shows in the quality of work and in retaining staff.

Main sources of noise in the office

Before looking for solutions, it makes sense to understand where noise actually comes from. In an open space environment, the sources add up and echo off hard surfaces, so the effect grows quickly.

The ABC principle: absorb, block, cover

Office acoustics experts often use the English ABC model, which can be translated into three clear principles. An effective office usually combines all three, since no single measure solves everything on its own.

• Absorb: soft surfaces that absorb sound and reduce echo, for example acoustic panels, textiles, carpets and soft seating furniture.
• Block: physical barriers that prevent sound from spreading between zones, for example partitions, tall shelving, phone booths and closed meeting rooms.
• Cover and zone (mask and divide): a deliberate layout of the space, where loud and quiet activities are kept apart, with light background sound where needed.

Anyone planning an office should think about these three principles at the same time. Only the combination of absorbing, blocking and zoning creates a space that offers room for focused work and for collaboration at once.

Concrete measures for better acoustics

Below are proven measures that you can include in a furnishing plan. Many are functional and aesthetic at the same time, so they do not spoil the look of a modern office.

• Soft seating furniture and lounge zones: upholstered sofas, armchairs and dividing elements absorb sound and at the same time create informal corners for short conversations.
• Acoustic panels and partitions: mounted on walls, the ceiling or between workstations, they reduce echo and visually separate zones.
• Phone booths: small enclosed units for one or two people, ideal for calls and video meetings without disturbing the surroundings.
• Meeting rooms and focus rooms: an enclosed space for meetings and for work that requires quiet is the foundation of privacy in an open space environment.
• Textile floor coverings: carpets cushion the impact sound of walking and lower the overall loudness of the space.
• Plants: larger plantings and green walls gently scatter sound and soften the space, while also improving wellbeing.
• Thoughtful desk layout: workstations turned away from one another, loud teams separated from quiet ones, devices in a separate zone.

When choosing furniture, it is worth considering materials as well. Soft, upholstered surfaces behave differently from hard wood or glass, so carefully chosen office furniture in itself contributes to a calmer space.

Zoning: separate the loud from the quiet

The most common mistake in open space offices is that all activities are mixed in one space. The solution is zoning, that is, dividing the space according to the type of work. Typical zones are:

• Focused work zone: a quiet area without through traffic, where no calls or meetings take place.
• Collaboration zone: a space for group work and conversations, kept away from quiet desks.
• Calls zone: phone booths or smaller enclosed units.
• Meeting zone: meeting rooms for privacy with comfortable conference chairs.

When zones are clearly separated, noise stays where it is created, while quiet activities gain peace. Zoning is also the cheapest measure, as it often relies on the smart placement of existing furniture. It already helps to route passageways and the busiest paths away from desks for focused work, and to place loud team zones closer to the entrance or shared spaces. This way, noise naturally moves out of the most sensitive areas.

Why plan acoustics from the start of the project

Acoustics are most successful and cheapest if they are taken into account already in the planning phase, not only as a fix after move-in. Adding panels and partitions afterwards is more expensive, less coordinated with the look and often only partly effective. Already at the floor plan stage, we can define zones, the placement of meeting rooms, the location of devices and the flow of passageways through the space.

For architects and procurement, this means that acoustics belong among the project's starting points, alongside ergonomics, lighting and brand identity. It makes sense to think about acoustics, furniture and layout as a single whole. You can read more about a holistic approach in the guide how to furnish an office, while the connection with employee comfort is explained by ergonomics in the workplace.

How Heka and Hit Preless help you with acoustics

Heka Interior is a brand of the company Hit Preless d.o.o. from Medvode, Slovenia, with more than 40 years of experience in furnishing spaces. We do not solve acoustics with a single product, but as part of holistic office planning and furnishing. As a single-source contractor, we cover the entire process:

• Consulting: together we review the space, the way of working and the sources of noise, and set priorities.
• Planning: we propose zoning, the placement of desks, meeting rooms and quiet areas.
• Furnishing: we supply and install furniture that supports a calmer environment, from soft seating furniture to ergonomic office chairs.
• Tailored solutions: we adapt the furniture and layout to the space, the brand and the way of working; more in the guide custom office furniture.

We have tested our approaches on large projects, including for NLB (more than 1,200 workstations), Triglav naložbe and the Volvo service centre. These references confirm that we know how to furnish a space so that it supports focused work and wellbeing.

Frequently asked questions

How to reduce noise in an open space office?

You will most effectively reduce noise in an open space office with a combination of the ABC principle: absorbing sound (soft furniture, acoustic panels, carpets), blocking its spread (partitions, phone booths, meeting rooms) and zoning the space (separating loud and quiet activities). The best effect is achieved if you plan all three approaches together, already when laying out the space.

Are acoustic panels enough for a quiet office?

Acoustic panels on their own are usually not enough. They absorb echo well and lower the overall loudness, but they do not prevent the spread of intelligible speech between workstations. For a quiet office, they need to be combined with blocking (partitions, booths, meeting rooms) and with thoughtful zoning of the space.

When is the best time to plan office acoustics?

The best time is at the very start of the furnishing project, when the floor plan is being defined. At that point, you can plan zones, the locations of meeting rooms and devices, and the flow of passageways at no extra cost. Subsequent fixes after move-in are more expensive and less effective, so treat acoustics as a starting point, not an add-on.

How much does improving office acoustics cost?

The cost depends on the size of the space, the state of the acoustics and the chosen measures. The cheapest is zoning with smart placement of existing furniture, while phone booths, meeting rooms and additional furniture require more. We recommend a consultation, where together we set priorities and prepare an offer tailored to your budget.

Take the next step

Do you want an office where it is possible to work in a focused way and collaborate in a relaxed way at the same time? We will prepare an offer for companies and help you plan an acoustically considered space with the right office furniture. Before deciding, you can test office chairs with our 7-day free trial, with no obligation.