Acoustic panels in a modern open-plan office

Recover 15–28% Productivity With Office Acoustic Panels for Facility Teams

Acoustic panels improve speech clarity, cut distracting noise and, when used as part of a wider acoustic strategy, tend to improve productivity and wellbeing. Noise-related distractions have been shown to reduce performance on complex tasks by 15 to 28%, and rooms that hit target speech transmission index scores support noticeably better concentration. Panels are the most visible fix, but they work best paired with the right acoustic targets from the outset.

TL;DR:

  • Covering one-quarter to half of a room’s reflective surfaces with acoustic panels can significantly improve speech intelligibility and achieve target RT60 and STI scores.
  • Panels are most effective when placed in key zones like meeting rooms, ceilings above desks, and walls opposite hard surfaces, especially where speech privacy is critical.
  • Costs vary based on materials, fixing methods, and coverage, so prioritizing high-impact areas provides better value than uniform installation across the entire space.
  • Balance is necessary to prevent spaces from feeling isolated, as over-insulation may impair ambient awareness and occupant wellbeing.
  • Panels alone cannot resolve low-frequency noise or structural soundproofing issues; they should be part of a comprehensive acoustical approach involving blocking and masking.
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Table of Contents

How acoustic panels work and what NRC, RT60 and STI mean

Acoustic panels absorb sound energy as it hits a surface, which shortens how long noise lingers in a room. This is different from soundproofing, which blocks sound from passing between spaces: panels reduce reverberation inside a room but do little against noise travelling through walls or floors.

Three metrics describe the result. NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) rates how much sound a material absorbs, from 0 to 1.0, with higher numbers meaning more absorption. RT60 measures how long it takes sound to decay by 60 decibels in a space, a shorter time generally suits open-plan offices better. STI (Speech Transmission Index) scores how intelligible speech is between 0 and 1, and the FinGer laboratory study found that rooms meeting an STI target below 0.50 saw measurable gains in cognitive performance, with further gains once conditions surpassed that target.

Mounting matters too. Panels fixed flush against a wall absorb mid and high frequencies well, but leaving an air gap behind the panel improves absorption at lower frequencies, which matters in rooms with HVAC hum or traffic noise. A primer on acoustical ratings is worth sharing with any contractor quoting on a fit-out, since NRC, STC and CAC each answer a different question.

How acoustic panels work and what NRC, RT60 and STI mean — overview diagram

Key benefits: speech clarity, productivity, wellbeing and aesthetics

Speech privacy, not general noise level, is the biggest driver of dissatisfaction in open-plan offices. A modelling study published in JASA found that lack of speech privacy predicts occupant dissatisfaction more strongly than overall sound pressure levels, which means panels placed to contain conversation between zones often deliver more relief than panels spread thinly across an entire floor.

The productivity case is well supported. Noise-related distraction reduces performance on complex tasks by 15 to 28%, and the same research suggests that improved acoustics can pay for themselves within months through better work efficiency and lower absenteeism. Sound is also one of the principal environmental factors office workers report as affecting their own productivity, alongside temperature and layout.

The main benefits facility teams should expect:

  • Clearer meetings and fewer repeated conversations, since higher STI scores reduce mishearing and the need to ask someone to repeat themselves.
  • Fewer interruptions in focus areas, as absorptive surfaces cut the reach of nearby chatter and phone calls.
  • Lower stress and annoyance, with the FinGer study linking rooms that surpass STI targets to a better subjective experience.
  • A more flexible look, since panels now come in shapes, colours and fabrics that double as branding or wayfinding.

Rooms meeting recommended acoustic targets can improve subjective experience and cognitive performance measurably, according to the FinGer laboratory study, which tested conditions across Finland and Germany. That gives facility managers a concrete target to specify rather than a vague aspiration.

Cost drivers vary with panel material, fixing method and coverage area, so a realistic business case should treat the 15 to 28% performance impact as the headline figure worth presenting to stakeholders, alongside the payback window the same research points to.

Where to place panels and how much coverage you actually need

Coverage decisions matter more than panel quantity. Prioritise these zones first:

  1. Meeting rooms and huddle spaces, where speech clarity directly affects decision quality and hybrid call performance.
  2. Ceilings above open-plan desks, since reverberant ceilings reflect noise back down across the whole floor.
  3. Walls opposite glass or hard flooring, which reflect sound rather than absorb it.
  4. Areas with long, unbroken sight lines, where noise travels further before hitting a soft surface.
  5. Around collaboration hubs and shared tables, where table screens can supplement wall or ceiling panels.

As a rough heuristic, covering somewhere between a quarter and half of a room’s hard reflective surface with absorptive material brings most open offices into a reasonable RT60 band for speech-heavy work. Before committing to a full roll-out, trial panels in one high-priority zone, measure occupied RT60 and STI, then scale based on results rather than assumption.

Downsides and technical considerations to plan for

Panels are not a free upgrade. Material, fixings, installation and periodic cleaning all add to lifecycle cost, and coverage decisions should reflect the budget available rather than a blanket approach.

Over-insulating a space is a real risk. An evidence review on soundproofing and wellbeing found that removing too much ambient sound can leave occupants feeling isolated or disconnected from their surroundings, so acousticians generally recommend balance rather than maximum absorption everywhere.

Damp and mould are avoidable with the right material choice: check that panels are rated for the humidity of the space and that wall cavities behind them are ventilated, particularly in older buildings. Always request fire ratings and material safety data from suppliers before procurement, since these vary by fabric and core material.

Absorb, Block, Cover: fitting panels into a full acoustic strategy

Panels alone solve one part of the problem. Acousticians describe a three-part approach: Absorb with panels and ceiling baffles to reduce reverberation, Block with partitions or higher STC-rated walls to stop sound transferring between rooms, and Cover with background sound masking to reduce the audibility of remaining noise.

Panels do well against reverberation and mid-to-high frequency distraction but will not resolve structure-borne noise or low-frequency rumble from plant equipment. Those need physical blocking or specialist assessment. Call in an acoustician when transmission between floors or rooms is the main complaint, or when one-third octave measurements point to a low-frequency problem that panels cannot touch.

Pro Tip: Pair wall or ceiling panels with desk screens and softer furniture fabrics for a bigger drop in perceived noise than panels achieve on their own.

ALXR’s role in bringing an acoustic plan to life

ALXR is an NHS-approved supplier offering nationwide delivery and installation alongside space planning and design services, which covers the practical side of an acoustic upgrade once panel positions are agreed. Desks, screens and soft seating from the ALXR 2025 Furniture Collection reduce hard reflective surfaces on their own, complementing panels rather than replacing them. For a full specification, request a survey from a qualified supplier or acoustician before ordering.

What the evidence actually tells facility teams to do first

Most guidance on this topic treats panels as decoration with a side benefit. The research says the opposite: speech privacy, not decibel level, is what occupants actually react to, and panels placed to contain specific conversations do more good than panels spread evenly across a floor for visual effect.

What the evidence actually tells facility teams to do first — overview diagram

The mistake worth avoiding is chasing a quiet room instead of a legible one. A space stripped of all reverberation can feel flat and isolating, and the goal is a measured STI and RT60 target, not silence. Facility managers who start with occupied measurements, fix the worst zone first, then re-measure, get further on a modest budget than those who order panels for every wall at once.

Treat panels as one lever within Absorb, Block, Cover, not the whole plan. Where budgets are tight, spend first on the meeting rooms and huddle spaces where poor speech clarity actually costs decisions, not on open-plan ceilings that look impressive but move the needle less.

— Syed

Get your office acoustics and furniture sorted in one project

Fixing office acoustics rarely stops at the panels. Desks, screens and layout all affect how sound moves, and ALXR handles that whole picture with one supplier rather than several.

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Our services line up neatly with an acoustic upgrade:

  • Space planning and design to work out where panels, screens and furniture should sit together.
  • Nationwide delivery and installation, so furniture and fit-out land on the same schedule.
  • Warranty support, giving procurement teams a single point of accountability.

If a project involves a hybrid meeting room, our Tenon Premium ALXR Smart Adjustable Desk with Flow Kit and Vision Mesh Office Chair both reduce hard reflective surfaces while improving comfort for longer calls. Get in touch through ALXR to request a site survey or a specification tailored to your floor plan.

Sources

FAQ

Where should you put acoustic panels in an office?

Priority zones are meeting rooms, ceilings above open-plan desks, walls opposite glass or hard flooring, and areas with long sight lines. Covering roughly a quarter to half of a room’s hard reflective surface generally brings RT60 into a reasonable band for speech-heavy work.

Do acoustic panels actually work?

Yes, panels reduce reverberation and improve speech clarity within a room, though they do not stop sound passing through walls or floors. Research on noise and task performance links poor acoustics to a 15 to 28% drop in performance on complex tasks, which panels help address by cutting distracting reflected sound.

What are the downsides of using wall panels?

Panels add material, fixing and maintenance costs, and covering too much surface area can make a space feel isolating rather than calm. An evidence review on soundproofing recommends balancing absorption with some connection to ambient sound rather than removing it entirely.

Do acoustic wall panels cause damp?

Panels themselves do not cause damp, but poor ventilation behind them or unsuitable material for a humid space can encourage moisture build-up. Checking that panels are rated for the room’s humidity and that wall cavities remain ventilated avoids the issue.

What is the difference between NRC, RT60 and STI?

NRC rates how much sound a material absorbs on a scale of 0 to 1.0, RT60 measures how long sound takes to decay in a room, and STI scores how intelligible speech is between 0 and 1. The acoustical ratings guide explains how each metric feeds into material selection and design decisions.

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