Archive for December 2011
Choosing Comfortable Chairs For Your Conference Room
There are so many different types of chair on the market that you may be a bit confused as to what to choose. Your first thought should be to choose something suitable for the job they are intended. Conference chairs come in all shapes and sizes so you must consider many things when making your final choice.
If you are furnishing your conference room, consider the length of time people are likely to be sitting on the chairs. Comfortable chairs make for a more productive meeting or conference as delegates are less likely to be moving around or leaving due to discomfort. If you are furnishing a large conference room you are likely to require seating that can be stored easily as well as being comfortable. There are now some very comfortable and stylish stacking chairs available on the market and these can be adapted to suit your decor or match existing furniture. Office conference rooms are less likely to need stacking chairs, so you will be able to choose from different ranges of chairs.
Some points to consider regardless of which sort of chair you choose:
1. The backrest should be quite high so that the shoulder is supported when the person leans back into it. It should also have some lumbar support.
2. Arm rests should be robust and well padded.
3. The height of the chair should be taken into account as stacking chairs will be non adjustable.
4. The size and shape of the seat of the chair. Delegates come in all shapes and sizes and it is a good idea to be slightly generous with the size of the seat as a larger person will be very uncomfortable being squashed into a small seat, whereas a smaller person will be comfortable in a larger seat.
5. Cost per unit. Even though you are trying to buy the most comfortable chair you can, you must still work within your budget.
Conference chairs can be manufactured from many different materials and this is a further consideration. The base chair can be made from plastic, metal or wood and then furnished with mesh, padding and fabric or leather. Well padded chairs are always going to be more comfortable than those with little or no padding. There will be a good choice for colors and fabrics and you will be able to find colors to compliment your conference room.
It can be quite difficult to choose a ‘standard’ chair that will suit everybody, but you must try to choose one which suits most. Your conference room should be fit for purpose and the furniture within should be functional and comfortable. Also, make sure you sit in as many different chairs as you can before making your final choice. It is also helpful get some of your staff to do the same and then compare notes to find the best one. Spending a little time choosing the correct chairs will save you in the long term and hopefully, delegates will return time and time again
Conference Room Acoustics
Office conference rooms are valuable communication forums in which confidentiality and sufficient audibility are of prime importance. The nature of a conference room, being a single enclosed room where multiple parties gather to discuss business matters, can bring about a number of sound reduction and acoustical challenges in an office environment. Conference room soundproofing solutions typically entail first reducing the transmission of noise into and out of the room, followed by implementing treatments to improve the quality of acoustics within the room for understandable dialogue, speeches and presentations. In some cases, conference room noise bleed is not an issue, and the project can focus solely on eliminating excess noise reverberations within the room to improve acoustical quality overall.
Sound bleed into and out of a conference room is the primary concern that must be addressed in a conference room sound improvement project. Outside noise entering a conference room during a meeting is a nuisance and a distraction to the attendees of the assembly, while noise transmitted out of the room and into the general office environment is a distraction to other employees whose ability to concentrate can be affected. Additionally, the security of confidential company information can be compromised when details discussed in a meeting are easily audible throughout the office.
Controlling noise bleed into and out of a conference room involves isolating the room such that noise cannot easily travel through common surfaces such as walls and ceilings. Isolating the room can be accomplished in several ways, depending upon the individual room characteristics, extent of modification desired as well as the project budget. Adding a layer of mass loaded sound barrier vinyl such as dB-Bloc to each wall and constructing a secondary drywall layer is one effective method of reducing sound transmission between rooms. Such modifications add the important soundproofing elements of density and disconnection to the room, with the added density controlling the wall’s ability to vibrate and the disconnected surface causing sound waves to collapse within the structure. Additionally, several types of weighted ceiling tiles are available to supplement or replace the existing tiles in a typical grid ceiling. For larger rooms, collapsible sound control curtains used in combination with the techniques above can establish a smaller meeting area and aid in the reduction of noise transmission beyond the intended area.
The second phase in improving conference room acoustics is implementing absorption treatments to control background noise reflections within the room in order to enhance the acoustical quality within. The ability of each attendee to clearly comprehend important information delivered in speeches, videos and other presentations is crucial to a productive and worthwhile meeting or conference. Untreated wall surfaces reflect sound waves back into a room, producing excess background noise and thus unpleasant acoustical quality. The simple installation of sound absorptive panels throughout a conference room will reduce excess reverberations and help deliver clearly audible sound to attendees. Several types of sound panels are available for this purpose, some of which are available in a range of colors to coordinate with existing office d
Conference Call Etiquette
Conference calls are valuable business tools that must be handled professionally and systematically. Sometimes these conference calls may include new comers. Hence, an introduction about the company is essential to make a good impression. Some preliminary measures such as a quiet area, good quality phones and good headsets for better sounds should be provided to ensure high-quality, live and interactive conference calls devoid of background noises.
The facilitator, moderator or the operator should advise participants of the basic rules of the call before general interaction begins. The basic rules include both general etiquette and any specific rules the moderator deems necessary. After all the expected participants have arrived, the moderator should introduce each person and provide a short background or description of that person’s responsibilities on the call. This introduction is necessary, as there may be guests or newcomers on the call. Though cell phones can technically be included in conference calls, they should be avoided whenever possible, as there could be static on the lines, and it may affect the quality of the connection. Punctuality is a sign of professionalism, as it is difficult for participants to make small talk on a conference call while waiting for a latecomer. Conference call should not be put on hold, because the participants will be forced to listen to your on-hold music, or they will not be sure when and whether you will continue the call. Call waiting should be temporarily disabled, as it may be disruptive and confusing to conference call participants. Conference call etiquette dictates that the participant gives undivided attention for the length of the call. Every speaker should be identified by name, location or position so that all other call participants will recognize a voice and help keep the call on track and avoid misunderstandings. If speakerphones are used, then the phones should be put in mute to avoid background noise.
These basic rules when strictly followed enhance the quality of conference calls and professionalism to the entire satisfaction of the call participants, thereby making the task successful.