Guide · · Updated · 4 min read
Where to place phone booths in an open-plan office
Practical tips on where to place phone booths in an open-plan office so they get used: distance to desks, walkways, power, smoke detectors and light.
The best booth in the wrong place stays empty. These rules of thumb help you choose where to put it.
Close to the people who need it
Put booths within a short walk of the desks whose owners take the most calls. If people have to cross the floor, they'll take the call at their desk instead.
Near a socket, clear of walkways
Our phone booth plugs into a standard wall socket, so place it within reach of one and avoid running cables across walkways. Keep fire routes and corridors clear and leave room for the door to open fully.
Mind the ceiling
Check what's above the spot. Our pods are 220–224 cm tall, and building-standards consultancy Sweco advises keeping a 500 mm clear space around smoke detectors. More in our guide to office pods and Building Regulations, and our guide on how to measure for an office pod lists every measurement to take.
Group them into a quiet zone
Two or three pods side by side create a clear “quiet zone”. Mixed colours can help people tell them apart when booking. Our office pod sizes page shows each footprint to scale, so you can plan a row.
Think about light
The glass door keeps the booth bright, but facing a window can mean glare on screens during video calls. A side-on position usually works better.
