The Digital Balance: Sound

Navigating Technology's Impact On Our Wellbeing - Sound

For those of us blessed with the ability to hear, sound is undeniably one of our five senses that plays a fundamental role in our daily lives. It can alter our emotions, warn us of danger, and is essential for our ability to rest. This is nothing new to us, so why am I emphasizing its value in this blog? Mainly because our use of sound isn't always beneficial to our well-being, especially when combined with technology.

To put this into perspective, how many of us use earphones at our desks to enhance productivity or focus? A survey conducted by a software company found that over 93% of employees who don't require headphones for work wear them for personal reasons. A large percentage of these individuals admitted it's to block out distractions and unwanted noise. This highlights a critical point – our work environments aren't designed to be conducive to our working methods. Employers should take note, especially those trying to entice their staff back to the office after the working from home model.

Consider our spatial sound preferences – as a species that evolved outdoors, it's no surprise that we have an innate connection to nature. When it comes to digitally assisted relaxation, countless apps replicate the sounds of birds tweeting, rainstorms, or running water. Numerous studies prove these sounds alter brain connections, reduce anxiety, and aid in relaxation. Sound is also widely used within therapy to assist with our physical, emotional, psychological and even hormonal balance. So overall, we can agree that sound as a medium, can be helpful for our bodies. 

When designers plan new workplace projects, they should consider how sound is treated beyond just meeting acoustic regulations and implementing sound masking for privacy. A more creative question would be: "How do we make this space sound more inviting to work in?" We select nice interiors, comfortable chairs, task lighting fixtures, reduce glare while increasing natural light, but are we truly maximising the opportunity when it comes to sound? I think not.

We should design offices with soundscapes that promote well-being, enhance the feeling of space, and bring nature sounds right to our desks. Imagine entering your office from the busy, siren-filled streets of London and being greeted by the sounds of the Himalayas – varying clips from mountain peaks, forest trails, monsoon rains, icy lakes, and mountain villages. We're not talking about just playing a Spotify playlist here – we're designing an office environment with different sensory zones, depending on whether focus, privacy, social interaction, or collaboration is needed, and delivering a soundscape that supports that activity. These systems can also be generative so they never repeat, detect zone occupancy levels and with real-time monitoring, they can be optimised for the environment each day.

Here are some facts – these soundscapes can improve focus by 30%, collaboration by 20%, and restoration by 10%. The proof is truly in the pudding with these sorts of numbers.

How many of you would still plug in your earphones in a nature-rich environment? Designers should focus more on creative sound designs rather than background music with repetitive pop playlists, which drive staff to solitary confinement behind their earphones.