What is the acoustic experience of office work pods?

Those who haven’t actually been inside an office pod share a burning question…

What do acoustic office pods actually sound like? Are they 100% soundproof? Stark quiet? Do they feel like a… vacuum? Isolating? When I’m in a pod, what sounds from the office floor outside can I hear? Say I’m meeting with my team inside — can colleagues outside hear any words of the conversation?

All important questions. Let’s clarify.

The acoustic experience of office work pods – key takeaways:

• Pods are quiet but not too quiet. They allow roughly 40dB of sound to penetrate their interior space from the open floor. Why 40dB? 40dB is scientifically proven to be the apt volume (decibel level) for focus. It’s a peaceful volume enjoyable as birdsong.

• When you’re in a pod, chatter on the floor outside is heard as a dull, lulling murmur. At the same time, conversations made inside the pod stay inside the pod.

• Though they’re self-contained, pods are enjoyable, not isolating. They’re spacious yet snug, well-ventilated with fresh air. They give you a lovely degree of separation from the floor. Their furniture is comfortable, and their features are convenient.

First thing’s first. Pods are quiet but not too quiet.

Absolute quiet is actually unnatural and unhealthy for humans. Alternatively, about 40dB of sound is ideal. This is why all Hushoffice pods and booths allow roughly 40dB of sound to penetrate their interior space from the open floor.

40dB is the sweet spot.

Scientifically proven to be the apt volume (decibel level) for focus. Enjoyable as birdsong. It’s “just right.” Quiet but not too quiet.

When you’re in a pod, chatter on the floor outside is heard as a dull, lulling murmur.

Like a muffled hum that feels natural — diffuse and soothing. In other words, pods turn distracting noise into soft, ambient sound.

What does 40dB sound like?

Gentle stream. Serene library. Refrigerator purr. A 40dB sound is faint, making it peaceful for humans and supportive of deep focus, as mentioned above.

Want to nerd out about decibels, frequency, and the behavior of sound waves? Office acoustics. STC? NIC? ISO 23351-1:2020? Acoustic partition and office pod ratings explained.

Next point: conversations made inside an office pod stay inside an office pod.

Office booths and pods like those in the Hushoffice family are engineered to the class B standard per ISO 23351-1:2020 (read more here). Their high-quality particle board, glass, foam, and fabric are intricately layered for guaranteed speech privacy. Conversations made in such a pod stay in the pod.

You can hold private discussions in a Class B pod with total peace of mind — rest assured that colleagues outside won’t hear a peep of your conversation

– says Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

Last point: privacy pods for offices are enjoyable, not isolating.

Was your first impression of the office pod something along the lines of, Cool concept, but that thing looks like… a box. No, thank you.

We get it since pods do look like portable boxes. But in reality, primo pods are far more sophisticated than mere boxes (to say the least). Pods of the “Hush” caliber give you luxury comfort. Supreme convenience. They’re carefully designed to feel totally natural, not claustrophobic or stuffy.

Hushoffice pods are inviting. Their cozy furniture and brilliant acoustics satisfy.

They’re spacious yet snug, well-ventilated with fresh air. Stellar engineering gives you a lovely, much-appreciated degree of separation from the floor in a high-end pod like those in the Hushoffice line.

Quality office pods are a joy to use

– lends Mateusz Barczyk, Senior Brand Manager, Hushoffice.

How do office call booths, acoustic work pods, and mobile meeting cabins vary?

Three pods. Three distinct uses. Let’s compare.

What is an office call booth like?

Model: hushPhone office call booth

Size: roughly 3 feet long x 3 feet wide x 7.3 feet tall

Occupancy: 1 employee (a standing pod)

Features: motion-activated and adjustable lights, motion-activated and adjustable ventilation, robust power module, leveling feet, anti-virus coating, fold-away laptop table, ergonomic armrest and shelf/storage, ergonomic floor-mounted stool (optional), retractable casters (pod is relocatable by push)

Ideal for: Private, personal, confidential, or sensitive phone calls; loud-talkers (pod contains call noise; in hushPhone, not even the loudest-talking employee can be heard from outside the pod — so calls no longer bother employees on the floor); introverted employees who feel more confident taking calls in a private space; teams that need mobility in their floor plate (hushPhone’s casters and light weight make it movable by push)

What is hushPhone like?

In one word: ease. HushPhone’s keen acoustics give it professional-grade speech privacy and speech intelligibility. Because the pod contains sound, colleagues outside can’t hear a word of your call. Simultaneously, because the pod blocks out pesky noise, you’ll easily hear every word of the conversation. It’s a premium call space.

Check out hushPhone’s product page here.

What is an acoustic work pod like?

Model: hushWork.sit&stand acoustic work pod

Size: roughly 5 feet long x 4 feet wide x 7.5 feet tall

Occupancy: 1 employee

Features: manual height-adjustable desk, ceiling grommet for sprinkler provision (optional), removable front panel for pallet jack (pod is relocatable by jack), and the basic features (motion-activated and adjustable lights, motion-activated and adjustable ventilation, robust power module, leveling feet, anti-virus coating)

Ideal for: heads-down, concentrative work; sensory-sensitive or neurodivergent employees who need frequent peace-and-quiet; employees easily sidetracked or upset by excessive stimuli; introverted employees who perform at their best with regular solitude; employees who get burnt out by office activity and benefit from breaking in a chill space throughout the day; those who enjoy alternating between sitting and standing postures as they work

What is hushWork.sit&stand like?

HushWork.sit&stand is like an island of calm in a busy office. It deters distractions. Inside, you’re free to just focus. Hopping in, you’re claiming a personal workspace. You settle in. You tweak lights and ventilation. You get to it, switching postures organically as you work. You enjoy pure privacy that can’t be found on the floor. As mentioned, a dependable island of calm.

Check out hushWork.sit&stand’s product page here.

What is a mobile meeting pod like?

Model: hushMeet mobile meeting pod

Size: roughly 7 feet long x 4.5 feet wide x 7.5 feet tall

Occupancy: 4 employees

Features: meeting table, two upholstered benches, ceiling grommet for sprinkler provision (optional), removable front panel for pallet jack (pod is relocatable by jack), and the basic features highlighted above

Ideal for: small team meetings of up to 4 people; collaborative activities; financial or classified matters; quick breaks from the desk; onboarding; group training

What is hushMeet like?

HushMeet is its namesake: the “Hush” needed for effective meetings. Jump in, take a seat, and savor concentration. Unbothered by activity beyond the pod, you and your team will stay on target without much effort. HushMeet comfortably encloses you. At the same time, its glass panels to your right and left maintain a nice amount of connection to the office space throughout your meeting. Separate but not disconnected.

Check out hushMeet’s product page here.

Read more: What does privacy actually feel like in an office pod?

The acoustic experience of office work pods – summary:

• Pods are quiet but not too quiet. They allow roughly 40dB of sound to penetrate their interior space from the open floor. Why 40dB? 40dB is scientifically proven to be the apt volume (decibel level) for focus. It’s a peaceful volume enjoyable as birdsong.

• When you’re in a pod, chatter on the floor outside is heard as a dull, lulling murmur. At the same time, conversations made inside the pod stay inside the pod.

• Though they’re self-contained, pods are enjoyable, not isolating. They’re spacious yet snug, well-ventilated with fresh air. They give you a lovely degree of separation from the floor. Their furniture is comfortable, and their features are convenient.

The acoustic experience of office work pods – frequently asked questions

What are quiet pods?

Quiet pods for the office are like acoustic, mobile workrooms. They’re engineered to block out office noise and, at the same time, contain the user’s noise. As a result, employees using the pod are neither distracted by commotion on the floor nor worried about bothering peers outside the pod with their group discussions, video conferences, phone calls, etcetera. The pod’s keen acoustics allow users to focus intently on the task at hand. 

How quiet are office pods?

Acoustic office pods are comfortably quiet. They convert a 70dB blare into a 40dB buzz. Why 40dB? 40dB is scientifically proven to be the apt volume (decibel level) for focus. It’s a natural volume. Pleasantly quiet rather than stark quiet. Calm as a gentle stream, peaceful library, or refrigerator purr.

What are privacy pods?

Privacy pods are portable acoustic booths for calls, meetings, and heads-down work. They’re popular for open-plan layouts because they give employees the private haven needed to focus without interruption. They also help eliminate open office noise by “trapping” the worst causes of it (conversations, halfalogues, and collaborative activity). Check out the Hushoffice collection to explore different types of privacy pods.