FAQs

Acoustic privacy — specifically, the inability to have confidential conversations without being overheard and the experience of being distracted by others’ speech. In a multi-space office study, respondents were most dissatisfied with workspace acoustics (44% expressed dissatisfaction). The Kim and de Dear analysis of 42,000+ workers confirms that open-plan offices consistently underperform enclosed spaces on

With modular soundproof pods as the acoustic zone infrastructure, a functional agile workspace zone transformation can be operational within 3–5 weeks from decision to first occupancy (2–4 weeks order fulfilment, 1–2 days assembly). This is a fraction of the 3–12+ month timeline for renovation-based zone creation, and produces no construction disruption to the working environment

ISO 23351-1 Class A (≥30 dB speech level reduction) is the minimum specification for pods deployed in focus and call zones within an agile workspace. Class A certification guarantees speech privacy in standard office environments. HIGHKA pods achieve 35 dB, certified Class A — exceeding the minimum threshold and providing reliable guaranteed performance across the

Yes. HIGHKA pods can be added as bookable resources within standard workplace management platforms (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Condeco, Robin, and similar booking systems) — exactly as meeting rooms are managed. This enables pod utilisation tracking, advance booking for high-demand periods, and integration with desk-booking flows for employees planning their office attendance.

In nearly 45–50% of cases, meeting rooms are used by just one person. For most knowledge work environments, this means that individual call and focus pods are more in demand than large meeting rooms. A practical starting allocation: one enclosed pod per 8–10 employees, weighted toward solo and two-person models. Review at 60–90 days and

Activity-based working is a specific subset of agile workspace design — it refers specifically to the removal of assigned desks combined with provision of multiple activity-specific zones. Agile workspace design is the broader principle of designing space to match actual work patterns, which can include ABW or can apply to assigned-desk environments where the space

Hot-desking reduces the desk-to-employee ratio to lower real estate costs. Agile workspace design changes the mix of space types to improve performance for different work activities. Hot-desking without purpose-differentiated space typically reduces satisfaction. Agile workspace design with well-calibrated zone mix and appropriate enclosed space provision typically improves it. A 2018 Global Workplace Analytics study showed

HIGHKA’s dual-channel turbine ventilation is designed for low acoustic impact — providing high airflow at lower rotational speeds that minimise audible fan noise. The ventilation system is an active part of the pod’s acoustic environment, but its contribution to interior noise levels is calibrated to remain below the ambient levels produced by external building HVAC

For most standard open-plan offices (40–60 dB ambient): both Class A and Class B provide guaranteed speech privacy. If your priorities include the highest available acoustic performance, regulated industry confidentiality compliance, or quieter-than-average environments, Class A is the appropriate specification. If cost efficiency and pod mobility are the primary considerations and the office is a

Yes — in standard office environments. HIGHKA’s bidirectional acoustic structure reduces outgoing speech (typically 55–65 dB at the speaker’s mouth) by 35 dB before it reaches the open floor. At a distance of 1–2 metres from the pod, the residual sound level is below the typical open-plan ambient noise floor and is not intelligible as