Oregon State Board of Nursing
With its mix of cubicles and private office spaces, the Oregon State Board of Nursing’s floorplan is like many other offices across the country; it also suffers from the same noise distractions and lack of speech privacy that plague such spaces.
Workers complained there was too much noise from cross talk in the open office area, making it difficult to concentrate. Office management asked their furniture reps about potential noise blocking options. The only suggestion was hanging panels between cubicles which, while marginally acceptable for individual cubicles, wouldn’t be practical throughout the office. Additionally, the partitions were expensive, unsightly, and would have blocked the ambient light from reaching the inner office areas.
Solution
Scott VanOrden from the board’s IT team was tasked with finding a technological solution to the noise problem. After some research, VanOrden found that sound masking, the process of adding a low-level, unobtrusive background sound to an environment, might be a viable option. The introduced masking sound, specifically tuned to the frequency and amplitude of human speech, covers up or “masks” speech noise, making the affected environment more comfortable, private, and free of excess noise distractions. A quick web search directed him to the website for Biamp’s Cambridge line of sound masking solutions. Biamp staff in turn connected VanOrden with nearby integrator Applied Technical Systems who demoed the product and explained its capabilities.
Sound Masking…keeps the cross talk down between the cubicle areas and also helps keep conversations in private offices private. It really works.
SCOTT VANORDEN
Network Administrator
Oregon State Board of Nursing
Conclusion
Applied Technical Systems installed Biamp’s cost-effective Cambridge sound masking system to accommodate the acoustical requirements of the 8,000 square foot space. Small, barely visible emitters (speakers) were installed in the ceiling tiles throughout the entire space including open office staff workstations, corridors, and private offices.
Employees returning to the office after the sound masking was installed were pleasantly surprised to hear the masking noise and the noticeable decrease in distractions. New employees didn’t notice the masking noise at all. By employee request, masking was turned up in the corridor outside of the interview rooms to provide even greater privacy for interviews.