Quiet space in the office: why you need it and how to design it

The quiet room has an image problem. It sounds like something from a yoga studio, is the first to be cut in business cases, and in many offices symbolizes well-intentioned amenities that no one uses.

That’s a shame, because a quiet space isn’t a wellness add-on. It’s the only place in a modern office where someone can do what’s impossible on an open floor: just do nothing for a while. Below, what a quiet space solves, how to set it up, and why it often remains empty in most offices.

What a quiet space is — and what it isn’t

A quiet room is a lockable space without a workstation function. You don’t go there to work concentratedly, to make calls, or to discuss. You go there to recover.

This distinction is crucial, as it determines the design. Add a desk, and it becomes a workspace. Add a table, and it turns into a meeting booth. What you need is a functionally empty space.

The last two are closer together than the first two: a quiet room and a prayer room can easily share the same space. How to make that choice is explained in prayer room vs. quiet room.

Who uses it

The assumption is that a quiet room is for those who are struggling. In practice, the user group is much broader, and that’s exactly why it should be built.

• People who are sensitive to stimuli. A portion of your organization processes sound, light, and movement more intensely. In an open office, that’s all day long. Twenty minutes without stimuli can make the difference between a manageable and an exhausting day for them.
• People who just received some unpleasant news. A call from the hospital, bad news at home. Without a quiet room, the only options are the toilet or the parking lot.
• People who feel a migraine coming on. Half an hour in the dark often prevents half a sick day.
• People returning to work after long-term absence. Those returning after prolonged leave often follow a gradual reintegration plan with rest periods. Without a designated space for this, the return process may face unnecessary pressure.
• People who just want to sit down. Between two intense meetings, after a difficult client appointment.

What stands out about this list: none of these situations are things you inform your colleagues about. That’s why a quiet space must be discreetly accessible.

What the law says about it

In both countries, there is no general obligation to provide a quiet space — but more is regulated than most employers realize.

In Belgium, the Code of Social Welfare considers a rest room to be a mandatory social facility. It is required when the risk analysis indicates that employees need rest breaks, and the Code explicitly mentions several situations — including work that exposes employees to increased psychosocial risks, shift work, and work schedules that are interrupted throughout the day. Additionally, if the prevention advisor or the Committee deems it necessary, a rest room must be provided.

The Code sets specific minimum surface areas: 9 m² for up to ten employees, plus 2 m² for each additional group of ten. The rest area may be an annex of the canteen or located in a space serving another purpose, provided it is protected from the nuisance that led to its establishment.

In the Netherlands, the requirement is more specific but narrower: the Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) mandates a suitable, lockable enclosed space with a bed or rest bench for pregnant employees and employees during lactation. This is the same regulation that governs the restroom — and it’s exactly why these two functions often share the same space.

How to design it

The space

• Lockable from the inside. Non-negotiable. Without a lock, it is not a quiet room.
• No glass, or glass that truly seals. Frosted glass doesn’t feel private.
• Acoustically insulated. A space where you can still hear the office garden does not serve its purpose. This is where most DIY quiet rooms fail.
• Ventilation. A closed space where someone sits for twenty minutes needs fresh air. The Code typically requires CO₂ levels to stay below 900 ppm, or at least 40 m³ of fresh air per hour per person.

The furniture

• A place to sit with head support. An armchair with a high back, a chaise longue, or a rest bench. A regular chair won’t suffice — the key is that you can sink into it.
• A Place to Put Things Down. Small side table, nothing more.
• Hooks for jacket and bag
• No desk. None at all. The desk is the reason most quiet rooms become workspaces.

Lighting and atmosphere

• Dimmable lighting. Someone with an oncoming migraine wants the dark.
• No motion sensor. Sounds obvious, but it happens often: the light turns off as soon as you sit still.
• Soft materials. Textiles, wood, plants. This helps acoustically and visually.
• Natural light if possible, with dimming options. Choice is better than a fixed starting point.

Why quiet spaces remain empty

Four causes, and none of them have to do with the space itself.

1. You have to pass by it, making it visible to everyone

The most important aspect. If the door opens onto the busiest walkway, half the department will see who enters and how long they stay away. No one who truly needs it will use such a space. Place it out of sight, with a discreet occupancy indicator instead of a window.

2. There is no standard for how long you may stay.

Without clarity, everyone assumes five minutes is acceptable and twenty is too long. State it explicitly: half an hour is standard, no explanation needed. Without this rule, no one will use the space as intended.

3. It is bookable.

A quiet room in the reservation system becomes a meeting booth within two weeks. Remove it.

4. The management does not use it.

If no one from management ever enters, the implicit message is that it’s for people who can’t handle it. Usage can’t be forced, but it’s the fastest way to normalize a quiet space.

The business case

A quiet room requires a few square meters and an armchair. What it delivers is harder to measure than what it costs—that’s the honest truth, and it’s also why it often gets cut from the budget.

The reasoning is simple, though. Half an hour of recovery that prevents half a sick day is already paid back within one use. And in reintegration programs, a rest area is often a prerequisite in the build-up plan — without that space, the return is delayed, and that costs significantly more than the room itself.

There’s another argument that weighs heavier than it seems: it’s one of the few provisions that visibly demonstrates an organization considers differences among people. Candidates notice this during a tour.

Combining with other functions

Almost always wise, as a quiet room alone rarely sees high occupancy. What works is:

• Quiet room plus prayer room. Same need for rest and privacy, same setup with one exception: a prayer room requires open floor space and a designated prayer direction. See prayer room.
• Quiet space plus bowling area. Works well, provided you add laundry facilities and cooling, and prioritize bowling.
• Quiet space plus recovery area for migraines. Requires good darkening.

What doesn’t work: combining it with meetings, calls, or focused work. These require availability, which conflicts with rest.

Where to Start

If you’re unsure whether there’s a need: ask. One question in an employee survey — ‘Is there a place where you can truly take a break?’ — will give you an answer within a week. The impactscan does this systematically and translates the results into spaces and quantities.

Already know you want one? Check out our relaxation rooms and the chill room, or explore our broader range of acoustic solutions if acoustics in the building are the real issue. Looking for places to make undisturbed calls instead of resting? Then phone booths are the logical choice.

If you specifically receive the request for a place to pray, more than just the setup matters. Praying at work outlines what employers can and cannot arrange.

Frequently asked questions about a quiet room in the office.

Is a quiet room mandatory?

There is no general obligation. In Belgium, a rest room is a mandatory social facility once the risk analysis shows that employees need rest breaks — the Code mentions, among other things, work with increased psychosocial risks, waiting duties, and work with a fragmented daily work schedule. In the Netherlands, there is a specific obligation for pregnant employees and employees during lactation.

How large should a quiet room be?

For one person, 4 to 6 m² suffices. If the space in Belgium falls under the requirement for a restroom, the Code prescribes at least 9 m² for up to ten employees, plus 2 m² for each additional group of ten.

What is the difference between a quiet room and a concentration spot?

A concentration spot is a workspace: there is a desk, good lighting, and an outlet. A quiet room has no workspace function – you don’t go there to work but to restore yourself. If you put a desk in it, it will become a workspace within a few weeks.

Why is our quiet room empty?

Usually for four reasons: the door is on a busy route so everyone sees who enters, there’s no clarity on how long you can stay, the space is bookable and thus becomes a meeting room, or no one in management ever uses it.

Can you combine a quiet room with a prayer room?

Yes, that’s one of the most logical combinations. Both call for tranquility, privacy, and a lockable door. The difference lies in the details: a prayer room requires open floor space, a designated prayer direction, and storage for prayer mats.

Last updated on 24 October 2026 by Stijn Belmans