For most employees, personal workspaces are where the majority of their work actually gets done. But if that space is cluttered, or uncomfortable, or exposed to loud noise…well, there goes the productivity. Here are ideas to help your people perform at their best.

Featured Products: Contain® Storage, HON Acoustics by Unika Vaev Acoustic Wall Tiles, Universal Screens, and Ignition® Seating

Acoustic Privacy

Studies have shown that “sound privacy” is one of the biggest sources of employee frustration. For some workers, the constant hum of environmental noise is beneficial, adding to the energy of a workplace. For others, though, it interrupts concentration and can even trigger anxiety. (Especially if they’re migrating back to work from a quiet home office.)

The trend of open-office design only adds to the challenge. While it’s impossible to remove all noise from a worker’s earshot, there are ways to manage it so workers are happy and focused.

In smaller workplaces, managers should take the time to understand individual habits and preferences, and make sure everyone is on the same page. For those with extreme sound sensitivity, noise-canceling headphones can be a godsend. Some high rated options to consider are Apple’s much-admired AirPods Max and Sony’s more affordable WH-1000XM4.

Sound can also be dampened through a fresh, clever design of both your space and your office furniture. Workspace dividers like HON Acoustics by Unika Vaev help absorb and diffuse sound in offices of any size. These screen and tile options for walls, ceilings, and floors reduce sounds and look good doing it. They come in a variety of color and style options that attach effortlessly.

Another tactic: noise-friendly flooring. Carpeting and engineered hardwood dampen sounds rather than amplify them—an often ear-rattling side effect of trendy concrete.

Featured Products: Workwall, Coordinate™ height adjustable base, and Solve® chairs

Visual Privacy

Like acoustic privacy, “visual privacy” is about reducing the distractions that catch the eye and interrupt thought. Yet another side effect of open-office design. But there are ways to solve it!

Tame the tangled mess of power and computer cables behind the computer and under the desk. Use zip ties to tidy up the cord clutter. Or consider desks that offer wire management, like HON’s Concinnity™ collection. Feels better already, right?

Reduce everyday clutter. Workers tend to accumulate instead of curate, so letting go of office items that clutter your workspace physically and mentally can be cathartic. Are those drawers full of documents necessary, or a nuisance better scanned and stored digitally? Making mindful decisions about what stays and what goes helps declutter a desk and a mind at the same time. Encourage the purge! (And for the stuff that remains, HON’s Workwall system can help get items off the desk and onto the wall, creating space and killing clutter.)

Make use of dividers. “Cubicle walls can reduce visual distraction and add style to a space, as well,” says Aaron Snyder, Senior Product Marketing Manager of HON. Today’s options are plentiful: choose from fabric, glass, and wood-look hard surfaces. “HON’s Abound® line offers a wide range of options that keep workers focused and productive.”

Comfort and Ergonomics

“The ideal workspace begins with the ideal chair, perfectly suited for the user and the environment,” says Callie Staker, Associate Marketing Manager of HON. “The better the chair design, the more productive the worker.” Problem is, not everyone is the same shape or size. So the name of the game is adjustability. Look no further than HON. Our award-winning task chairs offer all these adjustments and more, at a range of prices that fit any office budget. Learn more about Ignition®, Solve®, and other seating options. Here’s what to look for:

Adjust the arms. One size rarely fits all. Look for task chairs that allow a wide range of height adjustment.

Control seat depth. This is often overlooked: Seat depth allows a worker to sit more forward or back more deeply in the chair. This can be achieved by either sliding the seat itself, or the back. This can be achieved by sliding the seat to the most comfortable position for you.

Find the perfect angle. Seats should do more than go up and down; how they tilt is just as important. The more control over tilt, the better—look for tension control and tilt lock to assure a custom fit every time.