To ease the effects of  “noise pollution” in an office environment, technologies have been developed to help cancel out the background noise and provide a “cone of silence” for individual work stations, offices and call centers bullpens.

Sound masking systems have advanced far beyond simple acoustic ceiling tiles and insulation. The new technologues use miniature emitters installed in the ceilings to create a pleasant, non-distracting “white noise” that not only blocks outside sounds, but insures private conversations are not overheard.

These devices can be installed and adjusted to suit any size of office. Sound masking systems can be either be used as a stand-alone for a single office or a multi-office system can centrally controlled.

Be aware that sound masking is NOT the same as noise cancellation. Only military facilities have access to true noise cancellation technology, so on the open market only use of headphones or directional microphones actually cancel out ambient sounds. Sound masking creates a cushion of background noise that creates individual “quiet zones” so you do not have to control the source of the sound, but can eliminate it from the immediate environment.

Sound masking also reduces the need for extra insulation between workspaces and the physical sound blockers like plenum barriers and complicated acoustical return air ducts. Architects have more flexibility designing comfortable office spaces that do not depend on using doors and walls to block sound. Contractors can drastically reduce construction costs by installing continual suspending ceiling grids for office complexes since sound masking technology eliminates the need for separate t-bar ceilings in individual rooms.

With professional sound masking devices, organisations have the freedom to using open plan offices and reduce workstation footprints, athough there is a noise threshold that must be calculated to insure optimum efficiency. Sound masking consulatants can determine the correct  acoustic requirements for increased  density in an office space.

Typewriter to PC

You traded in your typewriter for a computer, which was then upgraded a few times because it was obsolete the moment it was installed. At least there are games to play during the lunch break.

Fax to Email (and e-faxing)

With this change, we have replaced faxes with email and shortened the time to do just about everything. It’s also created the great impatience with having everything happen right now. That’s a large change that everyone notices, and here’s the differences in the things you may have missed due to the eyestrain.

From Open Spaces to Cubicles and Back Again

Cubicles were coming into vogue. The move from a large communal space like a secretarial pool changed into small personal spaces. Now, many forward-acting companies are moving away from them. The new office space looks more like a coffee house, with no space designated to a specific person and technology has granted the ability to work elsewhere, like from home.

Evolution of the Office Chair

The office chair went from having four casters to five. There are still five today, giving greater stability than the old models. Other improvements include ergonomic developments for comfort during long hours. The materials are moving toward foam and temperature controlling fabric. The back is higher and most models have arm rests. Each piece is adjustable to give the maximum number of users a satisfying experience.

From Chunky, Heavy Work Desk to the Practical, Slimline Workspace

Desks now come standard with holes to let your wires disappear. Many workers no longer have many large wooden desks with drawers, using instead work tables that allow more flexibility with respect to height adjustment and placement of tools.

From File to Dial
Instead of a rolodex, pagers and rotary dial phone, the everyday office worker now has touch tone phones and many have mobile phones, iPhones/Androids, PDAs, or other technological gadgetry to keep them connected when they’re not at their desks.

Many of these changes occurred because of advances in ergonomics and human factors. Professionals from these fields have made their niche reducing workplace injuries and improving health. As they learn more about how to work smarter, the workplace environment will continue to change to suit people better.

At first sight, some of these items appear to have a good use, such as the UV Disinfectant wand. Before you log on to begin your quest for what seems harmless and well, darn right practical, take a look around the rest of the cubicle. If you see any sign of a Darth Vader wall clock, an X-wing fighter mouse, or God forbid, a PC in the shape of the Millennium Falcon, you might settle on a nice box of clorox wipes to keep the germs at bay.

When you are heading to the copy machine, because you really cannot figure out how to route that file through he maze of servers to the right printer/collator, and are taken in by the sound of your favorite music video, do not panic. By now you are able to take a short peak at the fantastic wrist watch your co worker is wearing. If you are lucky, and can keep from running off to buy your own, surely the next video you see will have either Captain Kirk or Bart Simpson prominently featured. If you can take your eyes away from Bart for a minute, you will catch a glimpse of a Dungeons and Dragons screen saver. As you peer around, there will certainly be an extremely complex cell phone tucked into a bean bag phone holder. No doubt there is a bluetooth connection to a prominent earpiece that looks like it tune in the space shuttle on a clear night. Be sure not to mention that or you may lose an hour hearing just how cool that would be, even though NASA TV has a prime spot on the PC desktop.

Since your project is now too late to be presented at the noon meeting, only one thing to do and that is jump on a video call to the higher ups and try to explain. You slump into the first open chair and are ready to explain your heart out when you are completely taken aback by the animal lovers web cam.
This is the point at which you realize that all hope is lost. You now know that you are about to go over to the dark side.

Imagine the look on their faces as you sit at your desk wearing a smile and calmly placing your wasted report into your brand new R2D2 trash receptacle. They smile broadly as you aim your wireless rocket launcher towards the unsuspecting mail boy and have a direct hit on the pocket protector. Life is good!

•No one understands why mouse cords made so long but that they cause extreme irritation. Everything gets tangled. Work is interrupted by detangling over and over again. Instead of ripping the mouse cord right out of socket get the cute Mr P to eliminate this problem. Simply wrap that cord around Mr. P and the problem is solved.

•A Mini Flip Flap will calm nerves giving a relaxing atmosphere. The Mini FF is a small plant which sits on your desk and is affected by the sun’s energy. When touched by the sun the plant’s peddles move.

•How about bringing your pets to work. The Aquarium USB is a small fish tank that function as a USB. When using the USB, every click, nourishes and takes cae of the fish. Be bored no more while sitting in front of the computer. Show kindness and love to your babies at work.

•Car Radio Control USB is another amusing way to stop a boring work day. The car charges in its garage when while connected. PC control your car wherever, this USB is way too cool.

•The Retro Vacuum USB will keep the desk nice and clean after a long day at work.

•Otherwise, keep your thirst down with the Fridge USB. Keep a nice fresh Coca Cola Light in the Fridge and be thirsty no more.

•Should you be worried that the boss will catch you browsing the web, not related to work at all, get the Panic USB. Hit the Panic button in any emergency cases and the screen goes blank!

•Made some enemies at work? Or maybe just shoot around with a friend or two. The Launch Missiles USB gives you three chances to hit a target! Just not when the boss is looking.

•Does work bring out the devil in you? Then bring the Devil with there and leave him on the desk, he magnetizes paperclips to his body and sits on a tray that accumulates more paperclips. Make use out of the devil.

•Number one gadget is Dead Fred. Everyone gets frustrated at work and needs to release steam. Stop taking it out on the nerdy filing girl, get a Dead Fred now. It’s a little red squashy man that lies on your desk. When you’re finished using a pen, just stab it in!

9. Flickr
Most people use Flickr as a cheap way to share photos with friends, but it’s also good for business. Uploading new designs, blueprints and other images to a company Flickr account means that anyone and everyone can see what you’re up to without you having to e-mail it to each of them.

8. Trillian
Many companies use MSN, Yahoo and AIM instant messengers to communicate with employees. Trillian connects to all three simultaneously, while using less RAM than any one of them.

7. GoToMyPC.com
GoToMyPC.com eliminates this problem of syncing a laptop and a desktop by permitting you to access your computer remotely from anywhere. This also means that if your laptop is stolen, no documents are lost or compromised.

6. LinkedIn.com
Social networking websites aren’t just for college students! LinkedIn permits business persons on the go to keep in touch with their contacts and business partners in real time.

5. Gmail
A lot of people see Gmail as nothing more than a free e-mail service, but it has phenomenal amounts of power. It’s able to check other e-mail accounts and copy the e-mails, it’s readily accessible, and works on just about any machine.

4. WWAN internet
Many companies offer this, but to explain, it’s internet you can access over the cell network. It’s important to shop around for good WWAN services, but they’re a lot more reliable and useful than hotspots.

3. Google Calendar
Writing down everything is essential, and Google Calendar does that. Like most Google products, it’s safe, simple and efficient, and it does it’s job.

2. PortableApps.com
This is a must for people who rely on many, many computers. It carries all the software and settings from one machine to another. This is especially important if you don’t own your laptop and are instead borrowing it from your company.

1. Google Docs
Google Documents are an online, remotely hosted, and powerful. It’s a full office suite you can access anywhere, and everywhere you go your documents are right there. It’s much easier and better than syncing software, and it’s free and easy to use.