Author: Rap Industries

2016 Blogs

Why Your Open Plan Office is Holding You Back in 2016

Post author By Rap Industries
Post date January 15, 2016

When the design of open plan offices became established in the 1950s, it was heralded as a revolutionary way to transform offices into a melting pot of ideas which would ultimately generate innovative solutions in an environment that fosters comradery. 60 years on and the reality is these open offices have become like a bull pen which encourage a negative sense of competition by pitting colleagues against each other. Rather than collaboration, it can create a state of rivalry which suits some, but punishes others. This has led to a rise in popularity of partition and acoustic screens which are designed to maintain the open office layout while introducing an element of privacy.

A recent study by Steelcase revealed that 85% of people working in open office environments can’t concentrate due to distractions, while 95% of those said they valued privacy highly when at work. The result is that the workforce is unmotivated, unproductive and overly stressed. While in theory an open office encourages staff to interact more with their peers, instead it restricts them from fully concentrating on the work at hand. The Delta Acoustic Screens developed by Rap Industries tackle this directly by introducing partition walls to the open office layout which gives staff a sense of privacy while the panels are also designed to absorb idle chat from across the office.

Affecting concentration is not the only downside of the open office either as subsequent studies have revealed a plethora of issues stemming from integrating all of your staff together. Canada Life discovered that by collectively having staff work together has led to a spread of illness and infection which has increased by 70%, inevitably leading to a loss in productivity. Furthermore, there is no way to guarantee that conversations are productive, and the sheer amount of chatter in a busy office is an integral factor which leads to distracting members of staff. For this reason, the Delta Partition Screens are equipped with acoustic foam to soak up ambient office noise to help staff to concentrate.

A final factor holding some members of staff back in an open office has been the distinction between extroverted and introverted workers. Extroverts thrive on group work which the open office layout is designed to promote. The frenzy of this group work allows extroverts to freely speak their thoughts and connect with others. Alternatively, introverts operate in the complete opposite way by excelling during solo work with very little interaction. The result of an open office is detrimental for these members of staff as the layout restricts them to working next to others and it is these who are heavily impacted by high volume levels in the work place.

Delta Acoustic Screens are ideal for situations such as these as they create a divide in the open office layout which gives staff their own space while also leaving the option for your team to bounce ideas off of each other. During the design process, we focused on introducing acoustic foam to absorb idle chatter and to help staff to concentrate in these environments. By tackling the little things in the work place such as privacy, noise and personal space, you can expect it to go a long way by giving members of staff the space needed to complete work at their own pace.

If you are interesting in knowing more about how Delta Acoustic Screens can help to make your open office layout more productive, then you can get in touch with our team of advisors on 01733 394941 or by e-mailing sales@rapind.com.

http://www.steelcase.com/insights/articles/privacy-crisis/http://www.canadalife.co.uk/media/47471/perfectofficepressrelease.pdf

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New Year, New Office and how you can spark creativity in 2016

Post author By Rap Industries
Post date January 13, 2016

It’s a new year which means it is a great time to make a fresh start. Rather than letting business stagnate, the start of the new year is a great opportunity to rejuvenate and then expand your organisation in 2016. A great, cost effective way to achieve this is by revitalising your office environment to inspire your staff in the new year. Long gone are the days of simple white washed offices, instead you can inject new life into your organisation by incorporating an ingenious new design to your office. Delta Acoustic Screens from Rap Industries are designed to do exactly this with their fresh and unique design which is assembled with practical solutions in mind.

There are multiple factors to consider when designing a new office layout in order to encourage creativity, productivity and a positive wellbeing. This means consideration for allowing as much natural light in as possible as it has been attributed to creating a better quality of life due to it being beneficial to combating fatigue. The effects of the design of the office are often subliminal, but it is the little things which matter most as a happy member of staff is always more likely to make substantial contributions rather than an irritated one. This all goes hand in hand as a happier member of staff is therefore free to be more creative and produce more valuable contributions.

In recent years, the importance of colour in the workplace has risen to prominence through a series of studies which have highlighted the positive role certain colours can play. The effects are often subconscious but different colours can help to inspire different emotions amongst people, meaning they can be tailored into your office design to bring the best out of your staff. Certain colours such as blues and greens are ideal for evoking a sense of calmness and serenity to assist in de-stressing due to how we associate them with nature and the outdoors. Meanwhile yellows are associated with stimulating creativity while moderate amounts of reds encourage emotion and passion.

With the Delta Acoustic Screen, we manufacture and produce them in 20 different colours to perfectly suit the personality and strategy of different departments. This opens up the ability to mix and match colours in the office to emphasise the qualities of different members of staff. The psychological impact is not the only benefit though, as we assemble each with acoustic foam to provide a practical solution to reduce increasing noise levels found in open plan offices. This combination allows you to strike a balance in the open office environment between encouraging collaboration but also tackling the issue of competing noise levels from different departments.

Re-designing the office is a great way to inject life into your staff but also into any new clients or visitors attending the office as it demonstrates the modern, forward thinking nature of your organisation. The best part is that adding colourful partitions is considerably more cost effective than moving office or creating private offices. With these factors in mind, your company can move into 2016 with a fresh perspective and new drive to deliver quality services.

If you would like help with suggestions of how to rejuvenate your office environment in 2016 then you can get in touch with our team of advisors who can explain the options available. You can reach them by calling 01733 394941 or by e-mailing sales@rapind.com.

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How Best to Divide Office Space to Get the Most Out of Your Staff

Post author By Rap Industries
Post date January 8, 2016

Getting the balance right in an office environment is crucial to maximising efficiency and productivity. There are so many variables to factor in to creating a suitable environment which allows staff to apply themselves and work while also encouraging teamwork and relationships. Office environments have come a long way in recent years to incorporate team work and creativity rather than reducing workers to the daily grind. The Delta Acoustic Screens from Rap Industries have been developed to help that balance by absorbing excess noise in the office while leaving the space for staff to collaborate together when required.

Large offices in particular tend to be very noisy which as many of you will know, is a massive distraction when you have a deadline to meet. That compiled with the depressing grey walls can cause demotivation and stagnation for staff. Rather than creating a shushed environment which can slow momentum, there is a way which you can harness the comradery of staff all while reducing the frustrating ambience of office chatter. With office partition screens, there is no need to construct a new wall or segregate everyone into tight offices.

The introduction of partition screens to the office has revolutionised large spaces. Without the need to install a permanent wall, partition screens help to reduce overflowing noise pollution while also being a great way to inject some life into a dated office environment. What partial screens as opposed to floor to ceiling screens can achieve, is the open office feel while noise pollution is brought under control. This is incredibly beneficial as it allows for collaboration in moderation without the risk of staff interrupting each other. By giving a sense of privacy, workers can become more efficient with their work while still being integrated together.

We have found office acoustics to be an integral factor in work performance in the work place. In large offices, finding quiet times for complex and challenging work is significant. This said, there is a fine line between complex work and regular work, which is why it is important to strike a balance between creating a non-disruptive environment while still encouraging team work and relationships. This is the aim of the Delta Acoustic Screen, to combine a practical way to dissipate office chatter while leaving the potential for staff to interact.

Delta Acoustic Screens from Rap Industries are designed to address many of these issues in the workplace including noise reduction, privacy and aesthetics. By accompanying the partition with acoustic foam, this helps to soak up a great deal of chatter in the office which helps staff to concentrate when it really matters. The Delta Acoustic Screens incorporate a fresh appearance to liven up any office environment. With a selection of 20 different fabric colours available, they can be designed to integrate seamlessly with any office environment.

If you are interested in knowing more about how the Delta Acoustic Screens can help to get the most out of your staff, then please get in touch by calling 01733 394941 or by e-mailing sales@rapind.com.