Offene Büro Fläche. Eine Frau und ein Mann unterhalten sich.

The future of office work

A strong corporate culture cannot be forced

The impact of the pandemic has brought the need for hybrid working into focus. The flexibilization of the working world has an impact on the office market, but does not call into question the relevance of the office. Companies should ensure that their office space is adapted to the new market. Flexible working, changeable spaces and adaptable real estate are replacing old, fixed office structures.

The role of face-to-face work

The “Connected Work Innovation Hub” study published by the Fraunhofer Institute at the end of 2023 sheds light on the hybrid working world and its challenges. It focuses in particular on the role of on-site work in the company. It becomes clear that physical presence in the office is of central importance for informal, spontaneous and unplanned encounters that promote innovation and creativity. In order to intensify collaboration, offices are designed as places of encounter and exchange.

Managers are required to organize their presence work in such a way that both individual and team responsibility are strengthened. This requires trust, active communication and the ability to build positive relationships. In addition, presence work supports social participation and strengthens employee loyalty to the company, which is particularly important to promote a sense of belonging and team spirit.

The study also shows that a balanced mix of on-site and remote work can have a positive impact on employees’ performance and innovative strength. Complex tasks and creative processes can be managed more effectively with a physical presence. Despite the advantages of mobile working, it is emphasized that physical presence in the office continues to play a key role in supporting and promoting the aspects mentioned.

Main problem: poor room acoustics

However, one of the main problems in face-to-face work has been the lack of room acoustics for years. In the recently published OFFICE-ROXX reader survey “Room acoustics 2024”, it once again became clear that there is a great need for action here. A full 85% of respondents stated that they suffer from acoustic disturbance in the office and that this has a negative impact on their work.

As in previous years, telephone calls and conversations with colleagues were listed as the main sources of noise. Office technology (e.g. printers, document shredders, etc.), keyboard clatter and mouse clicks, air conditioning systems and ventilation units were also cited as major sources of noise pollution.

The results prove once again that inadequate room acoustics measures are an essential disruptive factor for knowledge work and have an impact on the well-being and productivity of employees. Numerous studies also show that acoustic disturbances have a negative impact on employees’ health. Serious symptoms include concentration problems, headaches and nervousness.

Both employee satisfaction and employee health play an important role in the success of the workplace strategy. These have a positive influence on the well-being, motivation, commitment and performance of employees. The list of employee concerns is extensive and varies from company to company. However, high-quality workplace and room architecture, sustainability, modern technologies, well-being options and noise-optimized planning are always cited as important criteria.

Loss of performance due to hearing stress

Already 26 years ago, the study by Banbury and Berry (1998) showed that noise in the workplace can impair cognitive performance and productivity, with productivity losses of up to 20%. This finding underlines the potential for significant financial losses in companies due to inadequate room acoustics.

Hearing is a sense that we cannot turn off. Due to evolution, hearing protects us from potential dangers. So we can’t help but listen. However, if our brain is constantly processing the sounds around us and assessing them for danger, this listening effort impairs our cognitive performance. This can lead to the health restrictions already mentioned or, in the worst case, to total loss of working capacity.

When planning a new use of space, care should therefore be taken to arrange the individual usage zones and the associated walkways from loud to quiet. Holistic space planning also includes an acoustic concept tailored to the project. Measures such as ceiling panels and baffles, wall absorbers, room dividing and shielding elements and curtains help to absorb sound or provide diffusion.

However, caution is advised here. The market is currently flooded with many self-proclaimed “experts” and products. Many interlocking factors affect the acoustics of a room. It is important to analyze, understand and implement the complexity of the events taking place there. Simply integrating sound-absorbing materials into a room without the right know-how will quickly lead to disillusionment and nullify efforts to create a good working environment. It is not for nothing that there are engineering offices for acoustics and noise protection as well as specialist acoustics offices that provide advice and expertise.

Design of magnetizing office spaces …

Since the pandemic, the importance of flexible spaces for communication and work structures has risen from 6% to 33%. The challenge now is to implement these spaces correctly. Companies need to be aware of their role and identify the criteria that will ensure these spaces are accepted and used effectively by employees.

In the past, various activities were usually carried out in a fixed location, such as a single office. Nowadays, however, there are different zones that require a change of work location depending on the activity. As an attractive place to work, the office now offers new functions and elements that take into account employees’ individual preferences for a working environment and ideally balance out the advantages of working from home.

The places where our employees come together should combine value orientation, aesthetics and functionality. In addition to hard factors such as spatial functions that suit the company, technical equipment and suitable furniture, it is important not to ignore soft factors such as acoustics. Ergonomic workstations are now considered standard in office planning. However, auditory measures should also become standard in any planning.

… and the relevance of room acoustics

Topics such as well-being, mental health and value-oriented spaces are among the top 3 Future Work Trends 2025. And yet: less than half of those surveyed want to invest in better room acoustics. Shocking when you consider that these are investments in precisely these topics! Employee centricity is crucial for the “war for talent”.

The sooner we know about apn® are involved in the planning and development process, the easier it is to create an acoustically balanced atmosphere. As the concepts of usage profiles, interiors and acoustics are seamlessly interlinked during a space revitalization, we can identify acoustic obstacles at an early stage and avoid complex and costly optimization measures later on.

Without careful acoustic design, open office concepts cannot reach their full potential. New Work and Open Office benefit from the individuality of the spaces, which are tailored to the specific needs of the users. In order to do justice to the complex sound environments in these modern working environments, we rely on sound expertise and a wide range of design options. This holistic approach enables us to create workspaces that are not only functional and acoustically balanced, but also promote inspiration and well-being. This forms the basis for productive and happy working in the world of New Work.

Sources: