Speech privacy in buildings
Simply put, speech privacy is the inability of an unintentional listener to understand another person’s conversation. So, people with a lack of speech privacy are overhearing lots of conversations that they shouldn’t be, which can be annoying to employees.
When we look at acoustic-related complaints of office workers, we find that most complaints centre around the idea that others can hear their conversations, or that we can hear others’ conversations (a lack of speech privacy). Rarely is the problem that there is simply too much noise in the environment.
As an example, many people have no problem working in a coffee shop or other public place, but once they are in an office, the expectation of speech privacy is very different, and indeed the reality of speech privacy is very different. In the office, we are able to understand every word that our neighbors are saying, whilst in the coffee shop it does not seem to matter.
So when we define speech privacy, there must be an element of intelligibility. It is not practical to eliminate all conversational sounds in a workplace, but it is certainly not impossible to significantly reduce intelligible speech throughout a workplace.
53% of employees report having overheard confidential company information at the office. This lack of speech privacy can result in compliance and legal concerns when workers are discussing private customer information such as finance or healthcare records.
Lack of speech privacy is the number one complaint among office workers. The Center for the Build Environment in San Francisco surveyed more than 25,000 workers in more than 2,000 buildings to determine what the key environmental issues were for workers. Their results mirrored those found over the last 20 years in similar surveys – specifically that of the architect designed features surveyed, acoustics (including the lack of of speech privacy) was considered to be the most objectionable.
Sound masking can help companies protect confidential customer, company, and employee information.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- 2015 Government response to media reports about noise complaints
- Airborne noise
- Approved Document E.
- Ash deafening.
- Audio frequency.
- Building acoustics.
- Building Bulletin 93: acoustic design of schools.
- Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
- Decibel.
- Flanking noise.
- Flanking sound.
- Impact noise
- New noise guidance
- Noise nuisance.
- Noise pollution.
- Noise v sound.
- Privacy.
- Reverberation time.
- Sound absorption.
- Sound absorption coefficient.
- Sound frequency.
- Sound insulation.
- Sound masking.
- Sound v noise
- Structure-borne sound.
Featured articles and news
International Electrician Day, 10 June 2025
Celebrating the role of electrical engineers from André-Marie Amperè, today and for the future.
New guide for clients launched at Houses of Parliament
'There has never been a more important time for clients to step up and ...ask the right questions'
The impact of recycled slate tiles
Innovation across the decades.
EPC changes for existing buildings
Changes and their context as the new RdSAP methodology comes into use from 15 June.
Skills England publishes Sector skills needs assessments
Priority areas relating to the built environment highlighted and described in brief.
BSRIA HVAC Market Watch - May 2025 Edition
Heat Pump Market Outlook: Policy, Performance & Refrigerant Trends for 2025–2028.
Committing to EDI in construction with CIOB
Built Environment professional bodies deepen commitment to EDI with two new signatories: CIAT and CICES.
Government Grenfell progress report at a glance
Line by line recomendation overview, with links to more details.
An engaging and lively review of his professional life.
Sustainable heating for listed buildings
A problem that needs to be approached intelligently.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson apprentice award
Deadline for entries has been extended to Friday 27 June, so don't miss out!
CIAT at the London Festival of Architecture
Designing for Everyone: Breaking Barriers in Inclusive Architecture.
Mixed reactions to apprenticeship and skills reform 2025
A 'welcome shift' for some and a 'backwards step' for others.
Licensing construction in the UK
As the latest report and proposal to licence builders reaches Parliament.
Building Safety Alliance golden thread guidance
Extensive excel checklist of information with guidance document freely accessible.
Fair Payment Code and other payment initiatives
For fair and late payments, need to work together to add value.
Pre-planning delivery programmes and delay penalties
Proposed for housebuilders in government reform: Speeding Up Build Out.
High street health: converting a building for healthcare uses
The benefits of health centres acting as new anchor sites in the high street.