Most knowledge workers are used to the luxury of working remotely from home, either some or all of the time. Nowadays, companies have to compete with the privacy and flexibility of remote work by making it worth leaving the home office. Most importantly, office workers need private and quiet spaces, such as soundproof call pods, that reduce noise distractions in the office environment and offer a space for single-person video and phone calls.
Key highlights
- Modern knowledge workers appreciate the privacy and flexibility of remote work. To compete with the advantages of working from home, offices must provide private spaces, such as soundproof call pods.
- Call pods should be placed close to workstations for easy access, ensuring availability for ad-hoc and preplanned meetings. Features such as soundproofing and easy booking make them more accessible and convenient.
- Providing private, distraction-free spaces with call pods and meeting booths can make the office more appealing to hybrid workers, ensuring suitable spaces for videoconferencing and in-person meetings.
Call pods for a well-designed office
Offices should promote both focused and collaborative work to allow employees to thrive. Leesman research has labeled workspaces that do not support individual and collaborative work as “obstructor” workspaces. If a workspace does not support focused work, it does not matter how brilliant other spaces of the office are.
Among the most common sources of frustration for office workers are distracting office noise and lack of privacy.
A smart office layout promotes productivity and gets employees excited to return to the office day after day. Modular and portable call pods are an alternative to fixed meeting rooms that require costly office renovations. With a strategic placement, call pods and booths are:
- Close: Proximity to users allows employees to access call pods easily from their workstations. This is particularly useful in the event of unexpected phone calls or ad-hoc video meetings that could distract others when held in the open.
- Available: Positioning enough call pods throughout the office supports availability. Office analytics and data-gathering occupancy sensors help to identify if pods are constantly at full capacity.
- Practical: Accessing call pods is more practical when located where they are needed and used the most. Sufficient soundproofing ensures that the pods can be used for video meetings and phone calls even in noisy areas or near workstations.
- Visible: See-through glass walls and colored lights that signal occupancy make it easy to identify when a pod is available or in use. Connectivity with calendar booking systems helps employees check pod availability wherever they are.
- Accessible: Expansive coverage of call pods throughout the office ensures easy and equal access to all employees, no matter where their workstation is located at the office.
Smart office phone booths for a single-person
Offices should dedicate both bookable and non-bookable call pods and other meeting rooms to ensure availability for preplanned and ad hoc meetings or calls. Framery smart pods and booths can be integrated with the workplace calendar, making them bookable anywhere. Paired with Framery Connect™ and its office usage data, companies can optimize their use of office space by minimizing under and overutilized areas.
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The Framery One Compact™ is a soundproof, single-person smart pod for phone and video calls. With 30 dB speech level reduction, embedded noise masking, and a compact design, the Framery Once Compact™ is the perfect call pod for any office.
Create a working hybrid office
Leesman found that 86% of surveyed employees work in more than one location, with those who spend 4-5 days per week at the office having the best workplace experience on average. However, the survey shows that 58% of workplaces fail to provide their employees with a great workplace experience. Furthermore, their results indicate that employees tend to have a better experience when working from home.
Companies can compete with the luxury of working from home by providing the same opportunities for private and distraction-free work at the office.
Single-person call pods and larger meeting booths ensure hybrid workers have space for videoconferencing and in-person meetings whenever they come to the office.
Download our Pod Placement Guide to learn how to use office pods and booths most effectively to respond to the demands of hybrid work.
Office booths for different areas of the workplace
Employees are better equipped to carry out their work when the office layout is designed with different tasks and non-work related functions in mind. One way to address the varying needs of modern office work is to design the workplace around different areas:
- Working areas: Advanced soundproofing is essential when call pods are placed in environments where audible conversations could be distracting. These include areas with workstations, libraries, and other public spaces where people need privacy and minimal distractions.
- Open spaces: Speech privacy and confidentiality may be challenging to maintain in open spaces, such as lobbies and hallways, with people constantly coming in and out. Call pods with sufficient soundproofing help to reduce overall noise levels in open plan offices and provide a place for quiet conversations.
- Social hotspots: Lunch rooms, wellness spaces, and employee lobbies are primarily for non-work-related activities, but still require private spaces for private phone calls or just relaxing.
Soundproofed call pods combat office noise
All office noise is not created equal. In fact, according to research by the University of Arizona, the optimal noise level for people’s concentration and well-being is 50 decibels.
Sounds that are loud enough to be intelligible can cause distractions, thus reducing productivity and satisfaction at work.
The new Framery One Compact™, Framery Four™, and Framery Six™ smart pods are embedded with advanced sound masking technology that improves the acoustic landscape and concentration throughout the office. The Framery Office Sound Masking System™ creates a subtle background noise to make conversations and other sounds less intelligible and distracting.
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FAQ about office call pods
What are call pods?
Call pods and traditional phone booths are simply two different names for soundproof, single-person pods. These pods and booths are designed to provide a private, quiet space for phone calls or virtual meetings at the office. In addition to office environments, call pods are used in many public places that require private, soundproof spaces, such as hospitals, schools, airports, and libraries.
How do call pods differ from traditional phone booths?
Unlike traditional phone booths you might see on the street, call pods and office phone booths are equipped with advanced soundproofing to ensure complete speech privacy and minimize external noise. They also come with modern amenities such as adjustable lighting, ventilation, and seating, making them comfortable for longer meetings and calls.
What is the difference between regular call pods and smart pods?
Whereas regular call pods provide privacy and quiet thanks to their soundproofing, smart pods are compatible with video conferencing technology, workplace calendar systems, and other smart features, such as embedded sound masking or usage analytics. This makes smart pods ideal for offices, where they can replace traditional, fixed meeting rooms.
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