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Acoustic solutions for offices

 

Optimising sound environments for workplaces

In a typical office, people move between calls, collaboration, meetings, and focused individual work throughout the day. Sound reflects off surfaces and, without proper control, speech travels across zones, becoming the most common and frustrating source of distraction in open-plan offices. The result is an environment that reduces performance, makes focused work more difficult, and can even become a reason not to come to the office.

Whether in open-plan areas or enclosed spaces such as meeting or brainstorming rooms, office canteens, or cafeterias, our Activity-Based Acoustic Design approach ensures that the space and its design support activities. Supported by the right set of solutions, it helps unlock the full potential of the individual, the team, and the work they do.

 
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How good acoustics support focus and productivity

Why acoustics matter in offices

Poor sound environments affect people on many levels. They reduce focus, increase stress, annoyance and perceived workload, slow task completion, and lower job satisfaction. Poor sound environments affect the way we make decisions – we are less effective at recognising patterns and tend to choose obvious options. They also make it more difficult for non-native speakers and neurodivergent people and the ones with hearing impairments to hear and understand clearly.

Conversely, good acoustic conditions support inclusivity and are linked to higher productivity, fewer errors, and improved wellbeing.

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A person in a mustard-coloured suit holds a closed laptop while entering a modern glass-walled office with desks and chairs visible in the background.

Good acoustics in office environments can lead to:

  • Stronger focus and higher performance
  • Lower disturbance, lower cognitive and physiological stress
  • Greater accuracy, productivity and satisfaction
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Get deeper research insights on office acoustics

We know acoustics

We help shape office environments where people can focus, collaborate, and work comfortably. By understanding how sound influences behaviour and wellbeing, we turn acoustic knowledge into practical guidance for real workplaces.

Acoustic satisfaction comes from balance – between the space, the task, and the individual. Through our Activity-Based Acoustic Design approach, we connect workplace activities with the right acoustic conditions, supporting different ways of working across the office.

We work closely with architects, interior designers, and workplace specialists to translate research, workplace data, and standards such as ISO 22955:2021 into clear, usable strategies. The result is solutions that support everyday work – not just in theory, but in practice.

“Great office acoustics go beyond noise reduction. They support the task, the space, and the individual – like a well-designed puzzle where everything falls into place.”

Magda Szubert, Global Concept Developer Offices

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Get to know our experts
Five people stand in a modern office space, looking up at large colourful circular panels on the ceiling. One person gestures upwards while the others watch. The office has glass walls, plants, and bright lighting.
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When acoustic privacy is poor, people lose more than comfort – they lose task fit, focus, and trust in the workplace.

Yadav et al. (2025)

Acoustic requirements for office spaces

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Successful office environments typically include:

  • Acoustic separation
    In open-plan offices with mixed activities, prevent conversation noise from spreading and thereby reduce distractions between workstations and zones where different activities are carried out.
  • Reduced background noise levels
    In spaces such as office canteens, cafeterias, call centres, or workshop/brainstorming areas, the combination of sounds can lead people to raise their voices to be heard above the surrounding noise – the so-called Lombard effect.
  • High speech clarity
    In meeting rooms and meeting areas, the aim is to provide high speech clarity to make in-person or hybrid meetings easier for everyone, and more inclusive for non-native speakers, neurodivergent, or hearing-impaired employees.

Acoustic design for office spaces

Different office spaces place different demands on acoustics

Most modern offices are activity-based, enabling employees to choose their workspace according to the task at hand. The Ecophon Activity-Based Acoustic Design framework helps create a consistent and intentional acoustic experience across the workplace, supporting both people and the wide range of activities they perform – from collaboration to focused work.

  • Open-plan offices: reduce distractions between teams and activities
  • Meeting and collaboration rooms: ensure clear speech and effective communication
  • Quiet and focus rooms: create calm conditions for concentration
  • Social areas and canteens: manage noise levels and prevent sound spread
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Get acoustic design tips for office spaces
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Choose the right acoustic products for office spaces

Creating effective acoustics requires careful design and the right combination of products for each workspace. The solution depends on the type of activities, the layout, and the available surfaces.
Our range makes it easy to combine solutions based on both function and design:

  • Ceilings to control overall sound levels
  • Wall absorbers for added clarity in meeting and focus areas
  • Acoustic rafts when flexibility or design is key

Our products also offer a range of features – such as easy access to installations or exposed soffits – together with a wide choice of formats, colours, materials and installation options to support both concentration and collaboration.

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See our range of products for offices

Did you know?

With the Ecophon Open‑Plan Office Calculator, you can estimate how speech noise spreads and find the optimal spacing between activities – helping you design more comfortable and productive workplaces from the very start.

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Try the Open-Plan Office Calculator
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Exposure to 50 dB of irrelevant speech noise increases physiological stress levels, perceived workload and reduces accuracy.

J. Radun, H.Maula, I-K Tervahartiala, V. Rajala, S. Schlittmeier, V. Hongisto, 2024

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What is sound propagation and why does it matter in offices?

Visit The Lab to watch our short explanatory video about sound propagation and other acoustic phenomena.

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Visit The Lab

Cases

Case study: A living workplace lab with a diverse mix of acoustic solutions

How acoustics support better ways of working

High above Warsaw, a new kind of workplace takes shape – where acoustics, design, and sustainability work as one. This living lab shows how the right acoustic solutions can support people, activities, and productivity every day.

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Read the full case
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Explore more cases & projects

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Enhancing workplace experience through acoustic design – A case study in open-plan office

In modern open-plan offices, managing acoustics is crucial for productivity and comfort. Infoprogetto's office in Milan faced significant acoustic challenges, with conversations carrying across the space, background noise causing distractions, and limited speech privacy. Recognising this, the office management implemented a strategic acoustic upgrade, following ISO 22955 standards.

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Read more
A modern office lobby with the Deloitte logo on the wall behind a curved reception desk. The floor is covered with light wooden planks, and the ceiling features hanging light-brown acoustic baffles and curved lighting fixtures. To the left, there is a seating area with a couch and two chairs around a low table. Large windows allow natural light to fill the space, creating a welcoming atmosphere.

Deloitte Bratislava office

Bratislava, Slovakia

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Bright, modern multi-storey building interior with large glass windows, open corridors, and multiple intersecting walkways, allowing natural light to fill the spacious atrium.

EDEKA Campus Minden

Minden, Germany

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Malmö Börshus

Malmö, Sweden

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Frequently asked questions and answers

 

Tools & documentation

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Ecophon Acoustic Calculator

Get a sense of what a room will sound like before it's been built. With Ecophon Acoustic Calculator you will be able to estimate acoustic values already at the drawing table.

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Ecophon Immersive Acoustic Experience

We have developed virtual reality audio tools that demonstrate the critical difference between good and bad acoustics to our clients when on-site visits are unfeasible.

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How noise affects our workplaces

We all know sound affects people. But how? Our office research guides you through those effects and how to deal with them. Read more and download the summary.

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Ecophon Office Guide

A great office starts with a great acoustic environment. Discover why optimised acoustics are essential for wellbeing, focus, and productivity in modern workplaces – and explore our experts’ advice for creating better soundscapes in every office space.

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