Acoustic divider panels in a 911 dispatch or operations center can you help walk that fine line between a cubicle farm and an open office. Most employees hate both options—and yet they crave the privacy and relative quiet of a cubicle along with the easy access to their neighbors in an open space. You can get the best of both worlds with a panel system designed specifically for your consoles, your floor layout, and your PSAP’s specific communications style. Here’s an example of panels with glass tiles.
Let’s see how a panel solution designed specifically for your center enhances productivity and morale—and looks good while doing it.
Reduce Noise to Propel Productivity
Making noise is a feature not a bug of a 911 center—dispatchers must make noise by talking to callers, coworkers, and supervisors. The key is to minimize the noise to prevent distraction and reduce harmful effects. According to OSHA, “Loud noise can create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, interfere with communication and concentration”
Unfortunately, centers generally offer plenty of hard surfaces—ceilings, walls, tiled floors, desks, monitors, and windows—for sound to bounce off and amplify the noise. Acoustic panels absorb sound, creating a quieter center overall.
Console manufacturers that specialize in dispatch, such as Xybix, offer highly customizable panel systems. Center leaders and employees can select the height, materials, configuration, and more to achieve noise reduction and protect productivity.
Raise Morale with Quiet, Personal Space
Creating a pleasant work environment is proven to improve morale, which in turn improves employee health, productivity, attendance, and retention. In fact, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “The workplace atmosphere has a positive impact on individual employee behavior Consequently, workplace environment quality has a significant impact on workers and their motivation, enthusiasm, creativity, and efficiency.”
Even short or partial panels around a console contribute to a positive workplace by providing a sense of personal space. A place to hang your coat, stow your purse or backpack, and post a favorite picture during a shift brings incredible peace of mind. Plus, the panels lend a sense of privacy while reducing noise, which has a surprising impact on employee health. According to a study in Cornell Chronicle: “…experienced workers in mildly noisy offices make fewer ergonomic adjustments to their workstations than do workers in quiet offices.”
At Xybix, we know that all the ergonomic features on our consoles raise morale by protecting dispatchers’ health. It’s a shame if the noise in the center—which we can help reduce with acoustic panels—is discouraging them from making the console adjustments that prevent headache, neck pain, tendonitis, and more.
Acoustic panels can be accented with acrylic half-walls to increase visibility. Manufacturers and vendors such as Xybix enhance the acrylic with unlimited colors of LED lighting, so employees can match the colors to their moods and circadian rhythms, further improving their health and well-being.
What to Look for in a Panel System
Any old panels will not work in a busy dispatch center operating around the clock. Here’s what to look for:
- Steel frames for strength and durability
- Acoustic fiberglass fabric for sound absorption
- Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of 0.75 to absorb 75% of background noise
- Non-combustible material for fire safety
- American Society for Testing Materials verification of sound absorption and fire safety
- A variety of colors, styles, and heights to complement the center and meet its needs
- The flexibility to combine materials (such as fabric, acrylic, whiteboard, hard surface laminate) and add or remove panels as needed
- Cable management inside the panels
- Free professional design services to ensure the panels work with the consoles and center layout
- Professional installation to ensure stability
At Xybix, our degreed and experienced interior designers are ready to help you create the panel system that meets all your needs. Learn more here and reach out any time.
