Do Not Disturb Signs for the Office: What Works and Why

The right do not disturb sign depends on the room: a hanging sign in oak suits an office, interview or meeting room; a short, quiet message such as Session in Progress or Privacy Please suits a therapy room; and a freestanding sign suits an open-plan space with no door. This guide covers the main workplace uses, which format fits each, and what to check before ordering.

Why the right wording matters

A generic "Do Not Disturb" works in some places. In others, being specific does more of the work. "Interview in Progress" tells a colleague why they should not knock. "Session in Progress" signals that something private is happening without saying more than necessary. "Recording in Progress" warns against noise as much as interruption.

Common wording for professional settings includes Interview in Progress, Meeting in Progress, Confidential Meeting in Progress, Recording in Progress, Session in Progress, Training in Progress, Do Not Enter and Private. Most of our signs take your own wording in the personalisation box, so if your organisation uses different terminology, we engrave exactly what you supply.

The format matters too. A door hanger is easy to move and needs no fixings. A hanging sign is more permanent. A freestanding sign suits open-plan spaces where there is no door to hang anything from.

Office and meeting room signs

Interview rooms and meeting spaces need a sign that looks professional, is easy to swap, and ideally carries your own text. The Meeting in Progress sign covers the standard case in four sizes, from Small 102 × 74mm up to Extra Large 270 × 190mm, each with two pre-drilled holes and a jute string loop. You can add your own text or upload a logo, so it can carry a room name or a department name. For a door handle rather than a hook, the Meeting in Progress door hanger is 203 × 89mm.

The Session in Progress sign takes standard or fully custom wording. For rooms where you would rather not announce the activity, the Please Do Not Disturb sign reads more quietly, which suits sensitive conversations. For open-plan offices with no dedicated meeting rooms, the Quiet Please sign signals focused work time without needing a door.

All are made from FSC-certified 4mm oak veneered MDF and hang from a hook or nail, so they come down in seconds if the room serves more than one purpose. The engraving is cut into the wood, so it does not fade, peel or become illegible.

Interview in progress signs

Interview in Progress tells anyone passing why they should keep their distance, which a plain Do Not Disturb does not. We make it as a hanging sign in four sizes and as a 203 × 89mm door hanger, both with logo and text options. The Extra Large 270 × 190mm hanging size reads clearly from several metres, which helps in open corridors.

Therapy, counselling and wellness spaces

A therapy room sign needs to be clear without looking clinical. A wooden sign reads warmer than a laminated card, and Session in Progress is the usual phrase because it conveys privacy without clinical language.

The Please Do Not Disturb hanging sign works well here, and a subtitle such as "Please wait quietly in the waiting area" can be added through the personalisation box. The Privacy Please door hanger is a softer alternative where "do not disturb" might feel too abrupt. Browse the full range in our therapy room signs and treatment in progress signs collection, or read the treatment in progress signs guide.

Meditation, yoga and wellness rooms

Mindfulness spaces suit signage that matches the tone of the room. The Meditation in Progress sign comes in four sizes in oak, and in FSC-certified Moso bamboo (certificate BV-COC-190523) for spaces where natural materials matter. The Yoga Session sign is a freestanding solid oak block for studios, wellness rooms and home practice spaces, where you want a sign that sits in the room rather than hanging on the door.

Recording and broadcast spaces

Podcast studios, voiceover booths, video call rooms and broadcast spaces need a sign that signals privacy and silence: it tells people that noise matters, not just presence. The On Air Recording in Progress sign comes in four sizes, and the 203 × 89mm door hanger slips over the handle. If your station or studio has its own wording, the Meeting in Progress sign can be engraved with "Live Session" or any text you supply, and takes a logo upload.

Home office and bedroom signs

A door sign that tells housemates a call is in progress is useful, and a wooden sign is considerably more considered than a Post-it note. The Working From Home sign is made for this, and the Do Not Disturb door hanger is a simpler 203 × 89mm alternative that slips over a handle. The Please Do Not Disturb hanging sign in Small or Medium also works, and can be personalised with "Working — Do Not Knock" or "On a Call".

Two related signs for the home: the Baby Sleeping Do Not Knock sign for new parents, and the Night Shift Worker Sleeping sign for front doors, a clear message for delivery drivers and visitors that the occupant works nights. The day sleeper sign guide covers both.

Hotel door hangers

Hotels are a different use case. The sign hangs on the door handle rather than on a wall, and it has to work for every guest, so a double-sided hanger is the standard: Do Not Disturb on one face, Please Service My Room on the other. We make hotel hangers in oak and bamboo, with standard and wide handle holes and rounded or square tops, engraved with your property name or logo. See the hotel buyer's guide, the complete hotel door hangers guide and the hotel door hangers collection.

Which format is right?

• Door hanger (slips over the handle): hotel rooms, rental properties and any space where you want no fixings and easy removal. Most use a 51mm hole.
• Hanging sign (two pre-drilled holes, jute string): offices, therapy rooms and interview rooms. It hangs from a hook or nail and comes down easily.
• Freestanding sign: open-plan offices, reception desks and anywhere with no door, standing on a desk, counter or shelf.

Size guide for hanging signs

• Small 102 × 74mm — home doors and private offices where something discreet is preferred
• Medium 158 × 115mm — standard office and meeting room doors
• Large 225 × 164mm — corridors, or anywhere the sign needs to be seen from a distance
• Extra Large 270 × 190mm — maximum visibility on large entrance doors and well-lit public areas

Personalisation and bulk pricing

Most signs take your wording in the personalisation box, and many have a logo upload button; the design service is free. There is no minimum quantity on single items. Bulk discounts apply automatically at checkout from 20 of the same product, rising from 10% at 20 to 35% at 1,000, with no discount code needed. That is useful for fitting out an office building, a therapy suite or several meeting rooms consistently.

All items are made to order in our workshop in North Wales. Dispatch time is shown at checkout. UK orders via Royal Mail Tracked 24. International via Royal Mail International Tracked.

Frequently asked questions

What size should an office door sign be?
Medium 158 × 115mm suits a standard office or meeting room door. Large 225 × 164mm suits a wide door or a corridor where the sign has to be read from a distance, and Extra Large 270 × 190mm suits a large entrance door. Small 102 × 74mm suits a private office or a home door.

Can I get a sign that says something other than Do Not Disturb?
Yes. Enter any wording in the personalisation box at checkout: Interview in Progress, Session in Progress, Recording in Progress, Training in Progress or your own phrasing. Several designs, including Interview in Progress and On Air Recording in Progress, are also made as ready-worded signs and hangers.

Can I add my company logo?
Yes. Use the logo upload button on the product page and we engrave it alongside your chosen wording. PNG or JPG, in colour or black and white — we will convert colour logos for engraving.

Are the signs suitable for outdoor use?
No. All our wooden signs are for indoor use only.

Is there a discount for fitting out a whole building?
Yes. Bulk discounts apply automatically at checkout, with no code, and count units of the same product: 20 units 10%, 50 units 15%, 100 units 20%, 250 units 25%, 500 units 30%, 1,000 units 35%.

Also see: Do Not Disturb signs · Do Not Disturb sign or door hanger? How to choose · therapy room signs