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Hybrid working has changed the professional office. This shift has brought new challenges, especially around acoustics in open plan offices. More video calls means collective efficiency and team wellbeing at the office take a hit.
Acoustic pods have emerged as an innovative answer to this problem.
Here's how these dedicated spaces are transforming the hybrid working experience for companies.
Hybrid working has become a lasting way of working. In open plan offices, sources of noise linked to remote conversations are many and constant:
These noise disturbances have a direct effect on team productivity. According to a study from the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), an interruption takes an average of 23 minutes to fully recover concentration from. For people at the office who need to talk regularly with remote colleagues, this becomes a real problem.
Traditional fixes like noise-cancelling headphones or acoustic wall panels only go part way. Headphones become uncomfortable over long periods and don't stop the noise they generate for others nearby. Acoustic panels often need installation work and don't create a real physical separation between focus areas and communication areas.
This is exactly the gap that acoustic pods fill for hybrid working environments.
In hybrid offices, communication needs are unpredictable and hard to plan for: urgent video calls, team meetings with remote participants, one-to-ones with managers working remotely.
These interruptions don't just affect the focus of people at the office, they also strain the availability of traditional meeting rooms, which are constantly in demand.
Privacy in professional conversations is another major issue. In an open plan office with few partitions, keeping sensitive conversations discreet (HR interviews, sales negotiations, strategic discussions) becomes difficult.
Acoustic pods create a sealed space where conversations stay private, both for people outside and for the person inside the pod.
Installing acoustic pods in your hybrid workspace brings real, practical benefits:
Better collective focus
By reducing exposure to noise from multiple video calls, these pods let people at the office stay in a deeper state of focus, cutting stress from constant interruptions in the open plan office.
Easier access to communication spaces
Acoustic pods take pressure off traditional meeting rooms, which are often tied up for simple video calls. That extra availability improves how the office runs and cuts frustration over finding free space.
More professional remote conversations
The controlled environment inside an acoustic pod removes distracting background noise from the open plan office and offers a neutral, professional visual setting, strengthening how your company comes across when talking to clients and partners over video.
The market now offers a range of acoustic pods designed specifically for the needs of hybrid working environments.
“Phone box” style pods like the Island Solo from Work With Island are a great fit for people who spend their day on calls and video conferences with remote colleagues. These compact pods keep call audio clear while preserving calm in the open plan office.
On the technical side, they offer a sound reduction of 30.2 dB (measured to the ISO 23351-1 standard, Class A), cutting open plan office noise significantly while stopping your conversations from disturbing colleagues. They include quiet ventilation systems that keep the air renewed (400 m³/h) so you stay comfortable even in longer sessions.
Connectivity is handled by standard power sockets and USB A and B ports. Extra options like an ergonomic stool (+€290 excl. VAT), an integrated screen (+€490 excl. VAT) or a video conference pack (+€1,390 excl. VAT) can round out the equipment to fit your needs.
For environments where remote conversations happen daily and intensively, full work pods like the Island Desk offer a more complete solution. These self-contained micro-offices come with everything needed for longer, comfortable video conferencing sessions.
These pods stand out for their optimised ergonomics, with a built-in desk and comfortable seating designed for long working sessions. Premium models use two types of seat foam (one firm, one soft) for maximum comfort during marathon video calls.
Built-in LED lighting with a presence detector mimics natural light, reducing eye strain during long video calls. Quiet ventilation keeps the air constantly renewed (400 m³/h), keeping oxygen levels good and clearing out CO₂, which supports focus during demanding remote conversations.
For hybrid meeting needs, larger models like the Island Quattro can comfortably fit up to 4 people, with a more powerful ventilation system (800 m³/h) and more connectivity (2 power sockets, USB Type A and C ports, Ethernet connection).
“Merci beaucoup à Work With Island qui fabrique les meilleures phone booth rapport qualité-prix ! L’esthétique est tout aussi réussie, l’accord bois/feutre s’accorde parfaitement dans tous les espaces de bureaux que j’ai pu aménager.”
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Acoustic performance is the main criterion for judging a pod for hybrid working environments. Here are the key indicators worth understanding:
The sound insulation index is measured in decibels (dB) and shows how well the pod blocks out open plan office noise. Quality pods offer a sound reduction of at least 25 dB. As a reference point, a 10 dB reduction cuts the sound volume perceived by the human ear roughly in half.
Professional pods are classified into insulation categories:
The quality of the acoustic materials decides how effective the insulation is. High-performing pods combine several layers of materials with complementary properties:
Ventilation is a particular technical challenge. The ventilation systems in acoustic pods use ducts with acoustic baffles that let air circulate while blocking sound from reaching the open plan office.
Choosing an acoustic pod is a significant investment for a company. Here are the key criteria for finding the right fit for hybrid working:
Acoustic performance – Look for pods offering a sound reduction of at least 25 dB, ideally certified to the ISO 23351-1 standard with a Class B rating.
Dimensions and ergonomics – For occasional calls, a compact phone box pod may be enough. For daily video calls lasting several hours, choose a pod with a built-in desk and comfortable seating.
Ventilation – A strong system (at least 400 m³/h for an individual pod) guarantees enough air renewal to keep you focused during long virtual meetings.
Connectivity – At minimum, look for a pod with power sockets and an RJ45 Ethernet connection. For advanced use, USB ports and screen mounts can be worth having.
Ease of installation – Choose solutions with no structural work involved, like Work With Island pods, which install in under an hour in your office.
Warranty and after-sales service – Check the warranty length (ideally 5 years minimum) and the after-sales service conditions.
The investment varies a lot depending on the model and features. Here's an overview of the price ranges:
For companies, several financing options can make this investment easier to reach:
This approach lets you spread the investment while getting the benefits of a professional acoustic pod right away. At the end of the contract, depending on the financing terms, you can buy the pod for a symbolic €1 per order, return it, or move on to a new solution.
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Fitting an acoustic pod harmoniously into a professional environment is as much an aesthetic challenge as a functional one. Modern acoustic pods are designed with real attention to how they'll sit naturally in contemporary open plan offices.
Where you place a pod has a real effect on how well it's used and adopted:
For offices with limited floor space, compact pods like the Island Solo are an ideal solution. With a floor footprint of around 1 m², these models let you create an isolated space for video calls without giving up too much room.
The key advantages of Work With Island pods for tight spaces include:
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Sound insulation relies on several combined physical principles. Multi-layer walls alternate absorbent materials (which capture sound energy) and insulating materials (which block its transmission). Seals between the panels and around the door stop acoustic leaks. The self-supporting structure limits vibration reaching the floor and nearby walls.
No, that's one of the major advantages of modern acoustic pods like those from Work With Island. They're designed as self-supporting structures that need no wall fixings or structural changes. A simple standard power socket is enough for lighting and ventilation. Installation takes under an hour and the pod can be dismantled and moved during reorganisations without leaving any trace.
Professional-quality pods are built for heavy use in a business environment. With sturdy materials and careful finishes, their average lifespan is between 10 and 15 years. Work With Island offers a 5-year warranty against any operating fault arising from a material, manufacturing or design defect.
Acoustic pods are particularly effective against airborne open plan office noise (voices, phone conversations, activity noise). They significantly reduce medium and high frequency sound. For very low frequency noise (structural vibration, heavy traffic), effectiveness can be a little lower, but stays substantial with professional-quality models.
Yes. Work With Island offers a 100-day trial on a first order, for a single pod. If you're not satisfied, you get a full refund, including delivery and installation costs, provided the product is returned in good condition. Of more than 15,000 pods installed since 2018, only 12 have been returned after the trial period.
Maintenance is simple and needs no special products. Regularly wiping down surfaces with a slightly damp cloth is enough for the exterior walls. Inside, a low-power vacuum cleaner removes dust from the acoustic fabrics. The ventilation grilles just need the occasional dusting.