The right space is non-negotiable
In many organisations, HR teams now work in open-plan offices, flex offices or shared workspaces. On paper, this facilitates collaboration. In reality, it complicates one essential aspect: conducting HR interviews in the right conditions. All it takes is background noise, someone walking past, a glance through a window, or a brief interruption to disrupt the flow of what is, after all, an important conversation.
Yet, in HR, we must be able to speak frankly. Recruitment, annual reviews, feedback, performance management, sensitive situations: these moments require a space that protects what is said and provides reassurance. Confidentiality is not an option: it is a prerequisite for a meaningful exchange. And comfort matters just as much as soundproofing: if the space is uncomfortable, it will be avoided… and the problem will return.
The aim of this guide is simple: to explain why an acoustic booth is a relevant solution for HR, how to choose the right format (size, use, location), how to get it adopted, and to share technical guidelines for making practical decisions.
The best soundproof booth for HR interviews is one that guarantees confidentiality
Three criteria almost always take precedence:
- Confidentiality: speech must be less intelligible from outside.
- User comfort: ventilation, lighting, seating, and the ability to last the duration of an interview.
- Adoption: location, simplicity, availability. An unused booth protects no one.
An HR booth is not a gimmick. It is a relationship tool: employee ↔ manager ↔ HR. And in the majority of cases, the most versatile format for HR interviews remains the two-person format.
Why does HR need a dedicated space?
Confidentiality is not a bonus
HR interviews cover a wide range of situations: recruitment, feedback, performance, career progression, personal matters (excluding medical issues), and disciplinary matters. In every case, one thing remains constant: if the person feels they are being overheard, they hold back. Communication breaks down, tension rises, trust is eroded, and the quality of the interview suffers.
In an open-plan office, the environment takes its toll: noise levels, ambient noise, interruptions. These are, in fact, the terms users search for: confidentiality, soundproofing, noise, noise levels, open-plan office.
The real problem with open-plan offices
Noise isn’t just a matter of decibels. There’s also social noise: people walking past, glances, the feeling of being watched, the discomfort of speaking ‘at a normal volume’ when colleagues are just a few metres away. Even without loud noise, this environment undermines the conversation, because it imposes a constant need for restraint.
Soundproof booth vs meeting room
The meeting room remains a solution… when it is available. In reality, we often face issues with booking, distance, rooms being too large for a 20-minute meeting, or the fact that rooms are already taken by longer workshops.
The booth has an operational advantage: immediacy, proximity, flexibility. It is suitable for both brief chats and more structured discussions, without monopolising a room.
HR use cases that justify an acoustic booth
Recruitment and candidate interviews
A candidate interview, whether in person or via video call, requires stable conditions: a clear voice, less echo, and less external noise. They often last 30 to 60 minutes, sometimes longer. Ventilation, lighting and connectivity then become key factors in comfort: if the air gets stuffy, if the lighting is straining, if the connection is poor, the interview gets off to a bad start.
Annual reviews / feedback / career development
Here, duration matters. A 45-minute discussion is a world away from a 10-minute chat. Seating, table, posture: if you’re uncomfortable, it takes its toll on your concentration and the quality of your listening. And the most telling phrase is often this: “Can we last 45 minutes without suffocating?”
The answer is directly linked to perceived comfort, and therefore to ventilation.
Sensitive discussions
In these situations, the priority is to dampen the sound outside and prevent others from hearing. The key point is clear: the booth protects the employee as much as it does the company, because it reduces the exposure of the conversation to the open-plan office.
Occupational health / QWL / sensitive discussions
Let’s stick to a simple point: the booth provides a more discreet and quieter space. It does not replace internal organisation, but it reduces the irritants that undermine the conversation.
What you really need to look at to judge the confidentiality of an HR booth
The realistic objective
A booth is not intended to create a sound vacuum. The right objective lies elsewhere: ensuring that, from outside, even if sound is present, the content is less intelligible. The difference between “I can hear” and “I can understand” completely changes how a booth is assessed.
This is where the indicator “reduction in speech level” becomes a useful benchmark.
The weak points that ruin a booth
Four points consistently arise when perceived confidentiality is disappointing:
- Door and seals: a tight seal is crucial.
- Glazing and walls: sensitive areas for speech.
- Ventilation: essential… so it must be controlled.
- Location: a booth placed flush against a wall or situated in a high-traffic area loses perceived effectiveness.
Ventilation, lighting, connectivity
Ventilation
In HR, you don’t buy a booth just to have it; you buy it to use it. And its effectiveness is often tested after 10–15 minutes with the door closed.
Essentielle benchmarks:
- On Essentielle M: 575 m³/h and air renewal in under 40 seconds.
- On Essentielle L: 750 m³/h and air renewal in under 40 seconds.
These benchmarks are useful because they reflect the reality of a meeting: maintaining the duration without discomfort.
Lighting
An HR meeting also depends on the atmosphere. Lighting that is too harsh or too ‘cold’ can make the exchange feel stiff.
Essentielle benchmarks:
dimmable lighting up to 800 lm, warm white 3000 K (M and L).
This serves a simple HR objective: clear facial features, a less harsh atmosphere, and comfort during video calls.
Connectivity
An interview that starts with a low battery, a missing cable or an unstable video connection creates unnecessary stress.
Essential feature:
- full connectivity 220V power socket + 2 USB-C + USB-A + RJ45, with adjustable ventilation and lighting.
In practice, this simplifies usage: laptop, phone, headset, and wired network if needed.
Which format should you choose for HR interviews?
The 1–2 person format:
For most HR interviews, a two-person setup is the most natural format: candidate + HR, employee + manager, employee + HR.
Essentielle M example (1 to 2 people):
- External dimensions: 95 × 190 × 212 cm
- Internal dimensions: 88 × 177 × 198 cm
- Floor area: 1.8 m²
- Door: 90 × 204 cm, 8 mm “Silence” laminated glass
- Table: 51 × 78 cm (height 73 cm) + benches
This format offers a simple balance: a comfortable interview, natural posture, and enhanced confidentiality.
The 1–4-person format:
There are situations where there are three or four people: a three-way meeting, manager + HR + employee, or a broader sensitive discussion.
Essentielle L example (1 to 4 people):
- External dimensions: 136 × 190 × 212 cm
- Internal dimensions: 129 × 177 × 198 cm
- Area: 2.4 m²
- Door: 8 mm “Silence” laminated glass
What to consider before buying
A 20-minute meeting and a 60-minute meeting have different requirements. Duration affects comfort (and therefore ventilation, seating and posture). And in terms of capacity, 2 people is extremely versatile, whilst 4 people is rarer but strategic.
Location and layout
Locations that work
If the booth is too far away, it will be little used. If it is in a high-traffic area, perceived privacy drops and social discomfort increases. Avoid coffee areas, printers, and positions directly opposite workstations. Look for a semi-quiet, easily identifiable, accessible area.
Anticipating the usage space
An HR booth must be easy to use: enter, sit down, close the door, talk. One point of caution often arises: do not encourage conversations “through the glass”. The booth is not an aquarium: it is a space for discussion.
Clearance and air circulation
A practical point to include in your checklist: do not place the booth right up against the wall where air inlets/outlets are located. If air circulation is impeded, comfort levels drop… and usage follows suit.
Mobility, flex office, reorganisation
Fixed booth vs. repositionable booth
Organisations change. A booth that can adapt to reorganisations prevents the space from becoming static.
How to evaluate an HR soundproof booth in a showroom
Privacy test
Don’t test with background noise. Test with a short interview-style conversation. Position someone outside, a few metres away, and check speech intelligibility. Also carry out a phone/video call test, as HR use often requires this.
Comfort test
Stay inside. Assess the feel of the air, the heat, the ventilation noise, and visual fatigue.
Practicality test
Check that everything is straightforward: connections, laptop placement, posture.
Recommendations from the Essentielle brand
The most versatile choice for HR: Essentielle M
(1–2 people)Why this format is “HR-friendly”, according to your criteria:Speech level reduction of up to -30.3 dB.Ventilation: air renewal < 40 s.Lighting: dimmable LED up to 800 lm, 3000 K.Full range of connections + RJ45.Reversible door + mobile base.For meetings of 3–4 people: Essentielle LHere, the aim is to accommodate meetings of three or more people whilst maintaining comfort:Speech level reduction of up to -30.3 dB.Capacity 1 to 4,ventilation 750 m³/h + air change rate < 40 s,connectivity and lighting based on the same principles.
