Pump down the volume: how to effectively manage acoustics in the hybrid office

As people have returned to their offices after the pandemic, we've seen a clear shift in working patterns and therefore how the office workspace is now being utilised.

The move to hybrid working means the office now has to support fewer people on site, but at the same time interact with more people working remotely. The office layout has therefore evolved with fewer personal desks and more touchdown spaces for work in teams.

But adapting to hybrid working is much more than simply introducing more soft furnishings and labelling areas as “collaboration zones”. Working patterns have not only changed through more staff working from home for part of the week but also the way people work within the office while they are there.

In this blog, we examine in more detail one particular impact of hybrid working – the issue of office acoustics – and outline a range of solutions to “pump down the volume” and create a more productive working environment.

Reducing noise in open plan areas

The need to restore the acoustic balance in open plan areas has become a significant issue, and one which we have been working closely with our acoustics specialist to put in place solutions both for new fit-outs and retrospectively in existing workspaces. While there is no single solution to solve the issue, we have found that a combination of approaches can be very effective. 

The first solution is to create a clear demarcation between quiet work areas and social hubs within the office. Creating quiet zones in the office by designating banks of desks or introducing enclosed work pods give staff an undisturbed place to concentrate on individual work.

Noise dampening can also help in open plan spaces. Working with our acoustic specialist, we have been helping clients by installing noise-dampening surfaces or noise-cancelling systems, which make background sounds seem quieter by raising the ambient noise level through the introduction of white, pink or brown noise. To find out more about this, please read our earlier blog.

Encouraging meetings, discussions and collaboration to take place in areas designated as social hubs has a natural dampening effect on acoustics. Just like in a cafe or restaurant, the background hubbub of noise becomes less noticeable and doesn't disturb the conversation of those around the table. 

However, while these social hubs work well for in-person conversations, they can still be disruptive for Zoom calls by picking up the background noise, especially for customers or clients who may be wanting to talk in a more private environment. The best way to solve this issue is through the introduction of pods, which can accommodate two or four people and provide a quiet and confidential setting for calls, or use meeting rooms, but these too need to be adapted.

Adapting meeting rooms

Modern meeting rooms also present a challenge when it comes to hybrid working. The preference for sleek design, glass walls and hard surfaces may have worked well in the past for in-person meetings, but now create acoustic issues for Zoom calls. These surfaces intensify echoes and reverberation, not only hindering speech intelligibility for listeners but also distracting speakers as their voice echoes back through the microphone.

The solution for this is to balance the degree to which sound reverberates by looking at the seating layout of the room and installing acoustic tiles to balance the degree to which sound reverberates. No two meeting rooms are the same, as the materials, structure and layout will determine how sound behaves.

Here to help

It is clear in talking to clients, that acoustics is now one of the top issues in creating a productive hybrid office and in order to make the office an attractive place to work.  However, office acoustics is a specialist area and often requires a combination of solutions which are tailored to each specific situation. 

If you are suffering from acoustic problems in your office, don’t suffer in silence - the Cityspace team is here to help. Please contact us on 0207 638 4250 or email info@cityspacemanagement.co.uk.

​Designing the modern boardroom

The way we meet has continued to evolve over time, with the pandemic accelerating the adoption of new ways of working. With many staff now spending a proportion of their time working remotely, meeting spaces now need to adapt in order to make onsite and remote locations work seamlessly in tandem.

The same is true for the largest meeting space in the office – the boardroom – and the work we are doing for Evergreen Marine (UK) Ltd as part of a £2.5 million refurbishment of the ground and first floor of their Euston Road head office is a good example.

As part of this project, we are refurbishing a 90s-style boardroom to the requirements of the 2020s. Out will go the outdated walnut panelling, strip lighting and old AV equipment, to be replaced by a fresh modern design, a wall-to-wall ceiling of light, and state-of-the-art presentation and video conferencing technology.

By doing so, our aim is to create a modern hybrid meeting space for both face-to-face meetings onsite and with participants located remotely anywhere in the world.

On the move

With so many offices lying dormant over the past 18 months, it's easy to overlook the fact that many companies have been active in giving up their existing space and moving to new premises. While the pandemic may have delayed decision-making until firms have a clearer view of how to adapt to a new way of working, for those companies who have impending lease breaks a decision must be made.

At Cityspace, we have seen an increasing number of clients now making the decision to move premises. A recent project we have just completed is for the French cosmetic, skincare and perfume company, Sisley. Originally sited in Portobello Road, Sisley engaged us to fit-out a top floor office space at 33 Foley Street, Fitzrovia.

The existing space had been previously been fitted for meeting rooms and office space and required a complex adaptation to make the project work for our client’s needs. The original structure comprised a transom of double glazed panels, all of which were bespoke structures. The Cityspace team designed and built a new floor plan, utilising the existing glazing sections to create a suite of offices, meeting rooms and workspaces, specifically for Sisley’s requirements.

Thinking ahead

According to Knight Frank, active demand for office space rose in the second quarter of this year, however vacancy rates also rose to 7.8%, which is 1.2% above the long-run average for London. 

While the market may appear quiet, our advice to clients is not to be complacent - while there may be a higher level than normal of space available, it is still very important to think well ahead for your next office move.

Nowadays, we recommend to our clients looking for spaces under 5,000 sq.ft to start their decision-making process at least 6 months before lease expiry. For properties between 5,000-15,000 sq.ft we recommend starting up to one year beforehand and, for bigger properties, an 18 month time frame is recommended in order to provide the widest choice available.

At Cityspace, we provide extensive support to clients in the early stages of identifying and selecting new office premises. 

If you need help identifying your next property, we have extensive knowledge of both the established commercial neighbourhoods and the emerging hotspots, to provide you with the widest range of options. Using our market-leading knowledge bank, we can identify upstream opportunities of people who may be moving, but have not yet told their landlord or agent. In addition to these off-market opportunities, we also have close relationships with property surveyors, who can provide details of current properties available for let or sale. 

To help you select a new building, our Evaluation Report provides a full building appraisal and feasibility plan to ensure that your potential new office space suits your company’s organisational structure and working style, has flexibility for the future, and allows for any envisaged expansion. 

For more information, please click here or contact the Cityspace team on 0207 638 4250 or email info@cityspacemanagement.co.uk.

Adapting to hybrid working

As we enter the autumn, we at Cityspace are seeing an increasing number of clients now looking to the future and considering the evolving role of the office. As the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic subside, firms are moving forward with plans of how to adapt to a hybrid working model and adopt a blended office approach to create the optimum mix of onsite and remote working. 

A good example of this is a project we have recently completed for Butterfield Mortgages. Located on Cornhill in the heart of the City, the team at Cityspace designed and built new office interiors for Butterfield over two floors in 2017.

Recognising the success of remote working over the past 18 months, Butterfield made the decision to implement a blended office approach and maintain a percentage of staff working part-time from home on an ongoing basis. 

Adopting a blended office approach has a number of advantages. In terms of functionality, it shifts the role of the office to become a hub for interaction and collaboration rather than just a place for individual work, which could now be accomplished by staff working from home. In addition, creating a blended office can also lead to a significant reduction in floor space. With the cost of rent in London second only to salary costs, this can obviously deliver significant savings to the bottom line.

As we enter the autumn, we at Cityspace are seeing an increasing number of clients now looking to the future and considering the evolving role of the office. As the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic subside, firms are moving forward with plans of how to adapt to a hybrid working model and adopt a blended office approach to create the optimum mix of onsite and remote working. 

A good example of this is a project we have recently completed for Butterfield Mortgages. Located on Cornhill in the heart of the City, the team at Cityspace designed and built new office interiors for Butterfield over two floors in 2017.

Recognising the success of remote working over the past 18 months, Butterfield made the decision to implement a blended office approach and maintain a percentage of staff working part-time from home on an ongoing basis. 

Adopting a blended office approach has a number of advantages. In terms of functionality, it shifts the role of the office to become a hub for interaction and collaboration rather than just a place for individual work, which could now be accomplished by staff working from home. In addition, creating a blended office can also lead to a significant reduction in floor space. With the cost of rent in London second only to salary costs, this can obviously deliver significant savings to the bottom line.

Offices are all about people...

One thing that we at Cityspace have always said is that offices are all about people. As companies now plan a return to the office and look to introduce a blended office approach in order to create the right blend of onsite and remote working, the people aspect has never been more important. 

With many people still working from home, a lot of the discussion has been around how much time staff will be allowed to continue working remotely in the future. A survey conducted by our specialist research partner Baker Stuart found that 89% of respondents wanted to work remotely at least some of the time, with 62% wanting to work from home at least two days a week. 

However, a second and equally important question is how the office itself should adapt to this new paradigm. With a percentage of staff working from home, firms are now recognising that the office needs to become a hub for interaction and collaboration, rather than just individual work, but after the anguish and disruption of the past year, it also has to become a place that provides a sense of wellbeing and stimulates the productivity of teams.

It needs to begin with a vision

The starting point for developing a successful blended office concept has to begin with a clear vision. Given the speed of change that has happened to office life over the past year, it’s tempting to believe that things will bounce back and slot into the same routines as before. 

In our discussions with clients, we believe that the change in office life will likely be profound and long-lasting. Not only will staff want to continue to work from home part of the time, when they do return to the office they will also expect an environment that has adapted to the new circumstances.

A key aspect of the office is to create the right culture that reflects the company values and the brand. This will become a lot more difficult to do in an environment that is sparsely populated, still bound by social distancing restrictions, and with a design and layout that was created for a pre-COVID world. There are financial drivers here as well - with the business cost of floorspace in London second only to staff costs, it is imperative that every square foot is used in the most productive way.

Working with clients, the best way to manage this process is to create a clear vision at the outset of where the company and culture is today, and how you would like it to develop over the coming years. By doing so, this can provide management teams with a ‘North Star’ to guide office decision-making in the right direction in what are unprecedented times.     

Office design has to start from the bottom up

The impact of the pandemic has caused a seismic change, not only in the way it has forced people to vacate offices, but also in the way firms now need to plan their return to office life. Previously, decisions about office design and usage were generally top-down, whereby directors and management teams would decide the layout of meeting rooms and the requirements for team areas. 

But now, in order to create a successful return to the office, the decision-making needs to be bottom-up and led by a clear understanding of the issues and concerns of staff members with regard to both returning to and working in the office. The role of HR in office planning has now become crucial.

Three key things that firms need to understand is what are the concerns of people coming back, how will people now interact and work in the new office environment, and how to manage the right balance between onsite and remote working. The only way to get a proper understanding is through an evidence-based approach.

Nowadays, one size fits all thinking is no longer valid. Not only will there be marked differences in attitudes between different firms, there will also be significant differences between teams and demographic groups within a business. Some teams may have coped with the shift to home working much better than others and, within these teams, younger members may be itching to return to the office, while those who commute into London may much prefer to spend a higher proportion of time working from home. All these issues and concerns need to be balanced, but in a way that is also beneficial to the company, to productivity, and to the bottom line.

How Cityspace can help

The team at Cityspace is currently working with clients to help them understand and evaluate the people aspect of this new environment. Working with our research partner Baker Stuart, we can survey your staff to get a clear understanding of how they feel and then help you put an evidence-based plan into action.

If you would like any help, advice or further information, please give us a call on 0207 638 4250 or email info@cityspacemanagement.co.uk.