For any business to excel, a professional and productive workplace is a necessity, but with open-plan offices on the up, it’s getting increasingly harder for companies to balance the benefits of collaboration and accessibility with the need for privacy and seclusion.
There’s an abundance of data to support the theory that open-plan offices promote creative thinking between colleagues; but there’s also a lot of research that highlights the increased levels of distraction brought forward by them, too.
For an employer, this poses a tricky question: would you prefer your staff to bounce ideas off each other in an open and creative environment – knowing that by doing so, you risk a fall in productivity and concentration?
Office pods are a modular solution to this very 21st century problem. They provide a designated meeting space suitable for all types of working environments – specifically open-plan offices with a lack of brick and mortar meeting rooms. They’re essentially the best of both worlds.
So, what is an office pod?
Office pods are freestanding structures that can only be described as a room within a room. The post and cross rail framework allows you to design a sound-absorbing booth that can be installed in your workplace - without being fixed to the walls, ceiling or floor.
As a result of this, you have the freedom to extend or reduce the size of your pod, as well as move it to a different location. This is particularly useful for businesses who rent their commercial space.
Now you know what meeting pods are, but what can they do for your business?
If your company operates from a large, industrial-style unit, you might struggle to find a quiet place for client meetings and team discussions to take place.
Installing a modular office pod eradicates this problem because in doing so, your employees will instantly have access to an acoustic room that reduces noise pollution by up to 29dB.
This means that once inside, users can engage in conversation without risk of being drowned out by outside noise. When it comes to professional meetings, this could prove to be invaluable.
Meeting pods can even be used by members of staff who feel they are being distracted by noise within the general office, or as freestanding phone booths in sales environments.
What if you want an office pod but worry that you won’t find the right one?
You can design your pod to directly suit your business. This includes choosing the shape using a mixture of straight and curved panels, selecting the panel material to be either glass, dry wipe or fabric, and altering the size of the pod right down the last mm.
Each acoustic office pod comes with your choice of panels, a sliding door, a ceiling with 12v passive infrared sensor lights, and a top shroud to partially conceal the downlighters and any associated wiring.
You can also choose from a wide selection of optional extras to really make your conference room your own.
Manifestations (sticker-like adhesives) can be added on to glass panels in the form of spots, stripes or bespoke logos and artwork.
You can also add on an air circulation unit which will keep the air fresh, as well as a data post which features plug sockets and USB ports.
There is the option to add on tool rails for items such as paper trays and pen pots. Monitor mounts also are commonly added so that screens can be used for visuals in meetings.
In addition to the techy stuff, you can also add on more low-key features such as a slow-close door (although this is not available on curved doors).
You can even write on the walls with magnetic writable glass panels. The only real restriction with these modular meeting rooms is your imagination.
It’s not just the look that matters, though, health and safety must also be considered.
Luckily, all of our office pods feature 4mm thick toughened safety glass. Not only is this stronger and more hardwearing, it also contains up to five times less iron than standard float glass, resulting in more transparent and higher quality glass.
Regardless of what material panels you choose, each one is independently tested and certified to BSEN1023 parts one, two and three. This is the British Standard qualification for mechanical safety requirements and applies directly to office furniture and screens.
If you’ve been convinced that an office pod is for you, the next step is to discuss your options.
Get in touch with us by filling out our contact us form, or by calling us on 01733 511030.
Permalink:
https://www.xldisplays.co.uk/news/the-ultimate-office-pod-guide.aspx