Maintaining privacy and a noise-free environment in a busy workplace can be challenging but not impossible today, thanks to newer technologies. You need both elements in your office for different reasons. You deal with loads of confidential data in the office, and every conversation can be exploitable without proper protection. With barely-there walls and open layouts, compromised privacy and speech interference are commonplace. It’s sensitive and troublesome. To address these core problems, offices rely on noise cancellation and sound masking systems. If you ask which is better, the rising popularity of the latter doesn’t need any testimony. Still, let’s get to the bottom of this for clarity.
Noise-canceling vs. sound masking
As mentioned, unwanted noises flood the offices, and these two technologies intend to solve this issue. Generally, headphones and earbuds use noise canceling to block external sound by creating a different sound wave. You call it an anti-noise technique that stops the external sound from reaching your ears. Additionally, sound barrier sheets are highly effective in enhancing this noise-canceling capability, providing an extra layer of protection against unwanted noise. You call it an anti-noise technique that stops the external sound from reaching your ears. Its application is more relevant when you want to focus on audio. That’s why you find its association more with headphones, where it is easy to target waves. It would be best to have something else when dealing with moving targets like multi-directional sound waves. Also, noise canceling has other limitations. It obstructs your interactions with outside sounds, as you cannot hear them or your voice.
If you need to concentrate on something deeply, it’s a different matter. However, you must look for something else if you want to be reachable and conscious of your surroundings. That’s why sound masking systems in offices are getting more attention. The device generates background sound to cover up the external noise. Sound masking generator plays a soft, consistent sound: white noise, nature sounds, or something else. Shared and open-plan offices greatly benefit from this. Their noisy environment becomes pleasant and less distracting. Government offices and healthcare centers install them today to ensure better productivity, focus, privacy, and more. Sound masking is essential in large spaces, where noise canceling offers little.
Sound masking systems have evolved with time, with manufacturing companies trying various things. Find one that helps balance white noise to mask unwanted sounds at a desired frequency curve, creating an acoustically aesthetic environment.
White noise
Typically, people assume white noise involves soothing sounds, such as crashing waves. These are similar to white noise, but they are not. Instead, it’s like radio or television static – a combination of low, medium, and high frequencies. Because of its broad noise spectrum, white noise can mask any sound efficiently. It can be anything, such as noisy pipes, speech, etc. With an office white noise system, you can reduce those unnecessary sounds. It will help you protect sensitive information from leaking out. Any business place witnesses plenty of conversations throughout the day. Many of them contain coworkers’ and clients’ personal details. How do you maintain secrecy when everyone sits so close? A white noise machine can take care of this.
Ongoing chatters and conversations also distract people and harm productivity. But white noise can lower their impact, immersing people in their job. A peaceful environment is also critical for employees’ mental and physical health. If one struggles to complete his task due to continuous interruptions, his stress level increases. Chronic stressors make them vulnerable to heart health, digestive issues, and more. With white noise, you can control these situations.
Proper use of white noise
Only having a white noise generator is not enough. One needs to employ it right to reap the benefits. For instance, its placement can be a critical factor. The machine should lie between the noise source and the ears for the best effects. Offices use speakers with them to magnify the impact. When located close to the noisy source, it becomes easy for the machine to mix external sounds with sound waves to reduce their strength. If you have a small office, keep the device a few feet away from the sitting area to let it work at higher volumes. They will not be distractions. Otherwise, you will need to lower its volume level, which can be less helpful. Some people choose stands or walls to optimize their efficiency. Make sure the device is located at a reasonable level, though.
Suppose a connecting hallway leads to multiple rooms. In that case, you can keep this equipment in the hallway. Having it between doors is an excellent idea to add white noise to direct sound sources to prevent unintended listeners from hearing anything. Other than placement, you must also consider volume level. Some believe offices should keep white noise levels 1-3 decibels higher than the regular speech tones for effective sound masking. Or, it should be high enough to tackle the changing audible frequencies. Before sounds reach your ears, the machine should be able to mix them with ambient tone to decrease its audibility.
Homes also use white noise, but it’s for good sleep. Recommended sound level for the machine is about 50 decibels, which is not distracting but strong enough to help you enjoy your bedtime. Residences in noisy neighborhoods use louder volumes to fill their home with the right sound at night. Moreover, commercial-grade devices are much more advanced and practical. They highly rely on sound masking systems because of the complexity of their structure and the number of people huddling in one place.
White noise technology can make your office atmosphere easily manageable with better productivity levels and lower risks of data compromises. You get many options in devices. Every brand can look unique. However, focus on a company specializing in these systems. You can trust it more than other places that keep a little of everything. They are not specialists. Due to this, it can be challenging to comprehend whether their product is the best in the market. When you choose from experts, you can be confident about their solutions. Look into product details and features to understand the device’s capabilities and requirements. It will also help you decide whether the machine fits your office environment properly.
