Music in the workplace can be a touchy subject. On one hand, many studies suggest an increase in morale, productivity and general mood among workers who listen at work on a daily basis. On the other hand, it could become a point of conflict between workers.

The Benefits:

Plenty of companies allow their employees to listen to music the workplace, from warehouse workers to office staff and even retail professionals. According to a recent report, 73% of warehouse employees felt they were more productive when music was playing in the background. In professions that rely heavily on data entry, mathematics or proofreading, employees are 88% more accurate and 81% faster with music playing in the background.

Similar results we’re found from other studies that have been performed around the world. The numbers are impossible to ignore; and the added productivity of employees has a number of direct benefits to your business, including:

• Increased profitability: Productive workers are profitable workers. Raise their morale and day-to-day productivity to boost your company’s profitability to new heights.
• Greater reputation: Giving your staff the option to listen to music not only increases their productivity, it helps strengthen your reputation among new recruits and prospective employees, too.

The Drawbacks:

Although studies show music as a beneficial and complementary element to nearly any job, there are some potential drawbacks. This includes:

• Confusion and misunderstandings: Background music that is too loud can result in employees mishearing their co-workers and misinterpreting direct instructions. Additionally, they might not be able to hear the warning signals that are common on the warehouse or factory floor. Turn the volume knob down to keep these incidents at a minimum.
• Workplace distraction: Some music can be distracting. Whether an employee simply doesn’t like a particular genre or if they like it too much, their productivity could suffer as a result.
• Personal conflicts: In certain workplaces, especially those with greater cultural diversity, many different personal conflicts or objections could arise. In this case, it might be better to nix the background music altogether.

As you can see, background music in the workplace is typically seen as a positive – as long as it’s used correctly. If it’s too loud, explicit or controversial, however, it can become a serious point of conflict among everyone on the job.

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