Chatter, ringing phones, noisy printers... Sound like your office?

Many businesses face the paradox of having an open working environment where teams can collaborate, while providing distraction-free, private work areas for individuals.

Here are 5 ways that organizations can help create a more distraction-free and private work environment without sacrificing your teams' productivity.

1. Taller space dividers that utilize glass or translucent materials. Some organizations have actually raised panel heights in an effort to increase privacy, but have kept the openness.
    
2. Dedicated collaboration areas. Project work, conference calls, and gatherings can produce distractions for other workers, so dedicated collaboration areas provide private areas for group work that won’t disturb other workers.
    
3. White noise. If done correctly, white noise can work well. Unfortunately, it can cause more distractions if done poorly. Other sound inhibitors could include acoustical ceiling tiles, panel materials, carpet, and fewer hard surfaces.
    
4. Office protocols. Encouraging appropriate behaviors for the given environment helps with distraction-free work.
    
5. Easily adapted teaming areas. Many workstation configurations offer teaming areas in addition to amenities such as sliding doors; therefore, employees can work privately - or within teams - by simply sliding a door.