High noise environments can make communication a challenge. Whether you’re in an open office environment, in a high-noise manufacturing job, or are surrounded by other loud noises in your day, you probably have a good idea of the type of challenges loud surroundings bring.
If these scenarios sound familiar and you’re one of the 22 million U.S. workers exposed to loud noises, communication devices can help.
If the device includes noise-cancellation features, communication devices can provide even more benefits. Let’s look more closely at the whole picture to understand the role that communication equipment can play in high-noise conditions.
Role of Communication Devices in a High Noise Environment
Here are the top role of communication devices in a high-noise environment
i). Improving Communication
Noisy environments limit how much you can understand the people around you. You may be able to understand some closer people at a normal volume, but chances are that there’s a lot of shouting happening to be heard. Even then, there’s a chance of mishearing a piece of information, which can lead to costly or even dangerous mistakes.
If you spend time in a high-noise environment without a talking device, your ability to understand everything around you suffers.
On the other hand, using a device to enhance communication allows you to bypass noise barriers and pass along information clearly with minimal strain.
ii). Providing for Safer Operations
Any time that you’re unable to hear people around you clearly in a loud environment, you risk missing important verbal information. Whether you’re in a loud manufacturing environment or a loud open office situation, being able to hear can be the difference between safety and injury.
With a communication device, it’s easier to understand the people around you if they have an urgent warning to express. Understanding the first time rather than requesting a repeat of the information can be the difference between danger and safety.
iii). Boosting Productivity
A communication apparatus can help you to converse naturally without needing people to repeat what they said, straining to hear, or trying to interpret hand signals. Having higher-quality conversations allows work to proceed as normal with an increase in productivity.
However, noise cancellation from communication equipment can also help to boost productivity by providing a quieter environment with fewer auditory distractions beyond direct communication through the device.
iv). Decreasing Errors
Studies show that you’re more likely to make errors the louder the noise is in your environment. In fact, errors increase as noise increases. You may think that you’re able to filter noise out, but the concentration you do to filter out the noise decreases your ability to concentrate on the task at hand and increases your chance of making mistakes.
Thus, wearing a talking device that also serves as a noise cancelation device can help decrease errors, especially during more intense periods of noise.
v). Increasing Cognitive Performance
Studies continually tie noise to a reduction in cognitive performance. Psychologist Nick Perham found that noise decrease’s people’s ability to recall information or even do basic arithmetic well.
So, if you’re trying to perform tasks that require you to be able to think clearly, a noisy environment can lower your mental capacity. Any time you’re doing a task that requires your brain to function at its best, finding a way to block out the sounds around you is vital. Eliminating extraneous sounds with a communication device can provide a mental advantage.
vi). Reducing Stress
Studies show that even being exposed to loud noises intermittently can increase your stress long-term and increase your hypertension levels. Coupling the stress of loud-noise exposure with an inability to communicate effectively leads to even more stress.
So, communication equipment can provide a two-pronged solution for stress. Reducing or canceling noise levels and being able to understand communications correctly the first time can greatly reduce stress levels in otherwise noisy surroundings.
vii). Providing Fewer Disruptions
When you’re in an environment where it’s loud because several conversations are going on at once or people are shouting to be heard, it can be extremely disruptive.
According to Julian Treasure from The Sound Agency, one of the most destructive sounds can be other people’s conversations. He says that we can only take in 1.6 human conversations. So if there’s more than one conversation going on around you, it can disrupt your concentration.
If everyone communicates through devices with noise-cancellation features, there are fewer disruptions all around, especially from being in the crossfire of other people’s conversations.
viii). Improving Focus and Concentration
Neuroscientist Anthony Wagner says that noise can be a source of distraction. Each time a loud noise disrupts your attention while you’re multitasking, it’s harder to regain your concentration and get back to the original task.
High-noise environments with frequent auditory distractions can overload our senses, making us work harder to complete our tasks.
When you actively work to ignore loud noises or conversations, you have to work harder to complete your tasks. So, if you can block out extraneous noise with a communication apparatus, your focus and concentration will improve.
ix). Providing Hearing Protection
Prolonged exposure to loud noises can result in irreversible hearing damage. As long as you’re being exposed to loud noises, you’re risking hearing loss. And if you end up damaging your inner ear, ear hair cells, or auditory neural system, the hearing loss is usually permanent.
Nearly 1.5 billion people worldwide live with hearing loss. Luckily, talking devices that also provide hearing protection can help reduce your chances of permanent hearing damage.
x). Decreasing Downtime
Excessive noise can lead to a variety of health issues, including:
- Hearing loss
- Tinnitus
- Anxiety and stress
- Increased blood pressure
- Hypertension
- Fatigue
A study in Denmark showed that exposure to loud noises at work made men (not women) 43% more likely to take sick leave than men not exposed to loud noises.
When you start using a communication device that also blocks out excessive noise, you’ll likely experience less downtime and fewer sick days.
Final Thoughts
Whether you work in a loud manufacturing environment, extremely noisy office, or are looking for a wireless tour guide system for a noisy location, you’ll experience more than one benefit from choosing a talking device with both communication and noise-canceling capabilities.
Effective communication is one of the benefits, which increases productivity, provides a safer environment, and is less stressful.
However, when communication devices also provide noise-cancellation benefits, you’ll notice an increase in cognitive performance, focus, concentration, and hearing protection. Meanwhile, you’ll also see a decrease in errors, stress, disruptions, and downtime.
Read Also:
- Top Unified Communications Solution Providers
- The Upsides of Using Unified Communications in Workplaces
Gracie Johnson is a Senior Content Writer at MyTechMag. She is an enthusiastic learner and loves to explore all the areas of technology.
