Why Restaurant Owners Must Consider Acoustics If They Are to Avoid High Turnover
Do you have a busy restaurant or cafe which is very successful and often very busy, but wonder why you have such a high level of staff turnover? Do you know that the workplace is a noisy environment and think that this is just part of doing business? In truth, overall noise may be more of an issue than you might have thought. Why should you look at acoustics if you want to cut down your staff turnover rate?
Understanding Why This Is Such a Big Issue
It's a well-known fact that long-term exposure to high levels of noise in any work environment can lead to decreased productivity and elevated levels of stress. Consequently, when staff are exposed to this type of noise nuisance, absentee levels can go up and so can turnover. It's not surprising that an overly noisy environment can lead to more accidents and general illness as well.
Analysing the Problem
A typical cafe has solid floors and larger than average windows, often from floor to ceiling. These surfaces will significantly contribute to reverberation and echo throughout the building. When the place is busy, the conversation level will be such that people have to raise their voices to be heard. Add to that the constant noise from movement of chairs and tables, the sound of food preparation machines in the background and animated conversations in the kitchen, and this all adds up to a noisy facility.
Considering Acoustic Panels
You may need to damp down the reverberation and level of general noise by installing specific insulation panels. These are specially engineered to deal with acoustic issues and are also designed to complement the aesthetics of the property.
Usually, acoustic panels are developed from polyester fibres that are long-lasting, durable and bonded together thermally. They are easy to install and are relatively lightweight. In fact, they may be installed over just a few hours overnight, when the cafe is closed for business. You may be able to bring in a number of different panels in different configurations and in strategic parts of the building. They may be able to reduce reverberation significantly and contribute to the overall ambience of the facility, as well.
Determining What to Do
Your first step is to bring in an acoustic consultant, in order to figure out exactly what is wrong. They may be able to recommend the type of panel and various locations, to fix the issue. You may find that you not only reduce staff turnover, but improve customer satisfaction as well.
