music in the workplace
music in the workplace
Throughout the centuries, music has had a place in the workplace. From its use in the earliest times to its near extinction during the industrial age to the present day, music has played a vital role for employees.
A brief history
Music is a universal language that transcends borders. In Victorian times, handloom weavers sang as they worked. When the noisy machinery of the industrial age arrived, music in the workplace was all but lost. During World War II, the music was reintroduced to employees via radio.
Employees, often children, lost their fingers in the looms trying to remove something that was blocking them. The working children sang to stay awake.
Railroad workers and farmers blood to ease monotony and keep alert for dangers. With the advent of machines in the industrial age, singing was literally drowned out. In quieter factories, women or orchestras were hired to sing and play among the workers. The music almost died during this time. (Le Roux, 2005, vol. 7)
Radio was used primarily as a medium for broadcasting news, but in 1940, the British Broadcasting Corporation began running a radio show called “Music While You Work.” It ran twice a day and was specially designed for factory workers. The show bands were instructed to play medley to keep the attention of the workers. It was also vital that the music maintain a rhythm that would sustain productivity.
In 1942, the song “Deep in Heart of Texas” was banned because of the applause section that encouraged workers to stop momentarily and participate. (le Roux, 2005) Even in these early days, the benefits of music in the workplace were recognized:
o Increased productivity
o Less crashes
o Improved alertness
o Team interaction
In response to the positive reaction, the Muzak company was founded in the 1950s to provide music for businesses. The company is still going strong today.
Modern music studio in the workplace
In modern times, studies have been conducted to measure the benefits of music in a work environment. These studies have proven much of what was already known, primarily that music improves productivity.
One study indicates that “positive affect and work quality were lower without music, whereas time spent on task was longer when music was removed.” (Lesiuk, 2005, pp.173-191) On the other hand, “positive mood change and improved design perception” (Lesiuk, pp.173-191) were complemented by the addition of music.
Additional studies have shown that music in the workplace promotes positive mood, a sense of teamwork, improves alertness, and may decrease the chance of accidents. Music “motivates workers, decreases boredom and leads to higher productivity, perhaps because people work to the beat.” (Le Roux, 2005)
Employers must consider the type of music played in the workplace. The mood and style should suit the business. Experts suggest fully instrumental soundtracks so workers aren’t distracted by lyrics. (Guess, 1999, p. 42)
Personal headphones in the workplace
Today, there is some movement towards personal stereos for employees. A study by researchers at the University of Illinois shows that listening to music can boost employee performance in all kinds of jobs. (Oldham, 1996, p. 95) The idea of personal stereos is that when a worker is allowed to listen to the type of music he enjoys, the better the quality of his work. While this idea is fairly recent, it shows promise.
Conclusion
Music has been the soundtrack of humanity without a doubt since the beginning of time. He speaks to people on a primary level. Before researchers began to study the effect of music on workers, people knitted, worked in their fields, or at other jobs while humming or singing. Now, the researchers are proving what these people knew all along: Music makes work go by faster and keeps your spirits up.
Works Cited
Can Personal Stereos Improve Productivity?, Oldham, Greg, 1996
hrmagazine.es
Work with Music, Guess, Terri P., 1999, blackenterprise.com
“Whistle while you work”: a historical account of some associations between music,
Work and health, le Roux, Gordon Marc, 2005, ajph.org
The effect of listening to music on job performance, Lesuik, Teresa, 2005, pom.sagepub.com