Web forums are full of complaints about noisy coworkers and the frustrations of working in an environment where office noise significantly hinders their ability to work.  And they're not always referring to "Bob-Noxious" down the row (or noisy coworkers who make weird noises). 

These forum complaints are not isolated whiners.  Numerous studies have show that conversational distractions are the number one complaint among "knowledge workers" (cube-farm-dwellers).  And their bosses should take note: there's a significant negative impact on their bottom line.  

Excessive noise in the office can be the cause of seriously decreased productivity, leading to decreased morale, high on-the-job stress levels, inefficiency, and costly mistakes. Company trade secrets can also be inadvertently exposed to outsiders if there are no methods in place to reduce sound. Even behind closed doors, sound can travel to snooping ears, or even be overheard accidentally.

How to solve this:

There are several ways you can reduce noise in your workplace. One common method is soundproofing. This method involves using carpet to reduce noise from floor traffic, and insulating walls with foam or other material to reduce the level of sound that passes through them.  It's moderately effective, but sure costs a lot. 

Some companies attempt to set up a system where employees are only allowed to have personal discussions in designated break areas. This can help cut down on unnecessary office noise, but it may be impractical if your office space isn’t large enough to house a separate break area, and usually isn't much help to those poor souls whose cubicles are outside the break room!

One of the best solutions available is a sound masking system. Sound masking systems can actually mask most background noises by replacing them with white noise. White noise generally consists of a wide range of frequencies, which can override the noise from other frequencies, thus partially muting those other sounds. Although the other sounds aren’t eliminated completely, they are reduced considerably.

Another benefit of a sound masking system is the price. When compared to other methods like sound blocking or building separate offices for employees, a sound masking system is remarkably inexpensive.

The benefits also vastly outweigh the costs involved. Decreasing sound distractions can enhance worker productivity, reduce costly errors, and eliminate much of the stress that goes along with hampered productivity, and stress is a leading cause of absenteeism!

For more, check out The ABC's of Speech Privacy.