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What are phone booths and what are the benefits?

It is a reality that office workers spent a substantial part of their day making and receiving phone calls and whilst telephone calls are vital for communication in the workspace, it can be difficult to keep calls private and professional with the background noises of the standard open plan office.

A recent study by the Humboldt University in Berlin suggested that following a break in concentration, it might take up to 23 minutes to regain focus, not ideal when trying to have an important phone conversation with a client. Equally important, is privacy, one of the main victims of the open plan office space, how to keep projects and information confidential in a room full of desks? The answer is simple: the phone booth. 

Phone Booths are self-contained rooms to be placed within a larger space, in this case an open plan office. They are very similar in shape and concept to the traditional telephone box but have been optimised to be used in a professional environment. They are an easy way to optimise offices without having to build costly meetings rooms, taking advantage of pre-existing space.

Key improvements that Phone Booths bring to the office:

• They provide privacy for telephone calls and/or one to one meetings, many have acoustic properties that challenge even the nosiest offices. 
• They generally fit one or two people but can be made to different sizes, providing an optimal space to work in peace and quiet.
• Phone Booths can be assembled and disassembled, making it easier to move around as the needs of the office change. You can also easily take them with you if you move.
• As they have a small footprint they can also quite easily fit into an existing office layout and compliment most spaces.
• They can be fitted with work tops and seats to increase comfort. They also have lights and ventilation systems to improve working life.
• Phone Booths can be made in a variety of material and finishes and can easily complement any office décor.
• They are a simple way to modernise the aesthetic of the office in the new, more tech driven world, we find ourselves in.
• Phone Booths provide a perfect space for users to get on video conferencing or zoom calls.
• More than just a place to work, phone booths are also great places for users to take a moment to relax and improve their wellbeing.

All in all, Phone Booths are a great solution to take and make important phone calls in an optimal environment. They also provide a place to work without interruptions and so they can significantly improve any office space.

What are some alternatives to the traditional meeting rooms

Team meetings are undoubtedly a great way to share and develop ideas within a quiet and private space, however, finding available built-in spaces where to meet can be tricky. Building meeting rooms in an open plan office is costly and highly disruptive to every day work. This is particularly the case with rented spaces, it can be hard to get the right building permits and when moving offices the investment would be lost. Luckily Office Pods offer a solution to these problems by providing an alternative to the traditional meeting room. 

Office pods are four-side structures with floor and ceiling, they are self-contained, they come with lighting and ventilation systems and they can also be fitted with the necessary furniture such as desks and/or seats. They are extremely flexible as they can be made to various different materials and finishes, including easy-clean, wipeable materials and upholstered options for a more formal look.