Closing the door to an office no longer guarantees speech privacy. In fact, it’s probably worse because closing that door provides the illusion of privacy. When a private conversation is overheard by the wrong person, it not only causes your client or employee to lose trust in your business, but it can be an HR nightmare.
Thanks to a wide array of privacy acts and mandates that affect all types of workplaces, sound masking is more important now than ever before. Chances are one of these regulations applies to your business.
So which privacy acts apply to me?
HIPAA-Mandates that all employers, “take reasonable safeguards to ensure the privacy of protected health information.” This does not just apply to hospitals and health care facilities!
GLBA- In many ways the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) is the HIPAA equivalent to the finance industry. GLBA requires financial institutions to protect their clients’ nonpublic financial information.
LEED- Ensuring proper speech privacy and sound isolation is a component of LEED certification. LEED is a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings, homes, and neighborhoods. Many U.S. federal agencies and state and local government require buildings to attain LEED certification.
HCAHPS- In the healthcare industry, the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) provides scores to hospitals based on a variety of criteria, including “quietness of patient environment.” Hospitals with low HCAHPS scores risk loss of government funding and damaged reputation.
FERPA- In the education industry, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) mandates that colleges and universities take all reasonable efforts to safeguard student information including how the information is collected and disseminated.
When it comes to privacy regulations, you can never be too safe. Sound masking is an effective solution to ensure compliance with these regulations. Plus, it makes your work environment more comfortable and productive.
We can help you find the perfect sound masking machine for your office. Request a free quote today!