More about Thinktanks Office Pods:

Thinktanks is dedicated to ensuring that open offices across the globe are equipped with the necessary solutions for employee success and happiness, like office phone booths, privacy pods, acoustic panels, and ergonomic meeting pods. In this increasingly virtual age, Thinktank’s soundproof pods remain a key solution. With the rise in video conferencing and hybrid work, acoustic pods address the need for on-demand privacy that allows people to seamlessly connect in a quiet space, whether at home or in a private office.

As revealed by top companies worldwide, the long-term impact of the pandemic will require a blend of office furniture products needed to make the hybrid work model successful. This includes workplace products like whiteboards and private spaces that support virtual and in-person collaboration, as well as heads-down work. Thinktanks’s research shows the estimated increase for video conferencing at home and in open spaces will be up 600% – way more than what was required prior to the pandemic. Consequently, 82% of those surveyed said their open offices are not currently equipped for this increase and will need to make new focus room, privacy booths and home office spaces dedicated to making video calls. 

Thinktanks work pods (covered by a 3 year warranty) provide an optimal setup for video conferencing and are a great soundproof addition to the hybrid or home office.

At Framery, we continue to explore ways our pods can support these new norms. While the office will not lose its significance, employees will likely not travel as frequently for in-person business meetings – meaning there will be a continued need for virtual collaboration. Video conferencing enables companies to maintain business relationships, without putting employees in challenging positions to travel the way they used to for phone calls and meetings.

What makes Thinktanks office phone booths great:

• Power: Each and every pod conference room is equipped with power inputs and USB ports so devices can be plugged in for charging. There is also the option to add wireless charging to the tabletop.

• Lighting: LED lighting and control panels help optimize comfort within the pods.

• Air Quality: The indoor air quality and ventilation system is tested by an accredited testing laboratory, and is found to be well within the limits of M1 emission classification. The air circulation inside a Thinktank pod is multiple times higher than the general recommendation for occupied spaces. Users in private workstations or coworking spaces can feel safe knowing that their wellbeing is top-of-mind with healthy airflow.

• Cleanability: Thinktanks office pods are made with durable materials that are easy to clean. Check out our included cleaning guide for simple instructions.

• Adjustability: Thinktanks meeting pods users can adjust the seat to their personal preferences. The one-person pod also has a desk and two footrests to keep employees comfortable for long stretches of time. 

• Bookable pods: Thinktanks meeting rooms can be integrated into your company’s calendar system and turned into a bookable space. Or, if the pod is free, simply step inside and it will be reserved automatically.

Noise in the workplace

First of all, noise is experienced subjectively. For example, one person may enjoy working in a coffee shop with a little background buzz, while for another, it may be impossible to concentrate and complete any tasks in that kind of environment.

People tolerate varying degrees of noise, but this is only partly related to noise levels measured in decibels. In addition to some sounds being more distracting than others because of their physical characteristics like frequency, amplitude and complexity, the level of distractibility of a sound differs between people and is also dependent on a person’s physical and psychological state. It turns out that information carried by sound plays a major part as well.

Often ambient background noise or poor interior acoustics are blamed when a work environment gets in the way of productivity. It may be surprising, but in an office with very low noise levels and carefully designed acoustics, concentration can still prove challenging because of a quiet phone call or conversation between colleagues a few desks away.

“In an office with very low noise levels and carefully designed acoustics, concentration can still prove challenging because of a quiet phone call or conversation between colleagues a few desks away.”

Research suggests that distractions in open plan offices are mostly the result of background speech that is irrelevant to the listener. Also, regardless of how loud the background chatter is, it’s a distraction if it’s audible enough to understand. In a quiet open office, for a discussion to be inaudible, it either has to take place halfway across the workspace or in another room. This is the noise problem of open plan offices. If only there were small sound-insulated rooms scattered around offices.

There’s a lot happening in the development of less distracting work environments. More user-centered office concepts, like the activity-based office, are being adopted. Products in the market like Thinktanks’s award-winning pods, that not only eliminate noise but also provide much-needed social breaks in workplaces are becoming more common.

All in all, significant steps are being taken to help people working in less than ideal environments, and creating a better understanding of the problems they face is one of them.

When it comes to productivity, location is everything. According to a British study, “employees who have control over the design and layout of their workspace are not only happier and healthier -- they're also up to 32% more productive.”

Taking control of our workspace gives us a sense of meaning and purpose – which is why it’s so important to have a delegated space to get into “work mode.” 

It also allows us to go to a place where physical items from home are not in our line of sight, which can pull our attention into the past or future immediately. I.e. if you see a piece of clothing you forgot to put away, or a magazine or a book, your thought process can be quickly hijacked in the same way it is when your phone dings with an unhelpful notification. 

Bottom Line on soundproof office phone booths

Communication and collaboration are important parts of any successful company, but noisy offices can be distracting and unhealthy. An easy solution to this problem is an office phone booth. An office phone booth helps keep your employees focused with an enclosed space where they can conduct private calls or discussions without disturbing others in the office. An office phone booth is the perfect solution for any company that thrives on open communication and collaboration. It’s easy to install, makes employees more satisfied in their jobs, and ensures that they will be more productive.