Music: Should You Whistle While You Work?
It can be difficult to get a group of people to agree on a genre of music to play at work. Classical or pop music? Country or hip hop? And what is the consensus on the volume? What is distracting for some may be motivating for another. Scientists have investigated the link between music and productivity since World War II. Music was projected in UK ammunition factories to encourage upbeat moods in workers and resulted in increased output. Research posits that music can be particularly harmonious in the office when the melody matches the task at hand.
Upbeat music can be a positive addition to your work environment if you are completing a monotonous task (think: assembly line or sending out invitations). In this environment, the addition of mental stimulation helps people function more efficiently. Music creates a domino effect – your body releases happy neurotransmitters that put you in a good mood, which leads to better focus and higher productivity. Your body’s natural response to this additional stimulus has been dubbed the “activation theory” in the scientific community. Research shows that musical arousal helps many perform faster with potentially fewer errors. Interestingly, this is accurate even in complex situations requiring quite a bit of detail (think: brain surgery.) Think of the last time you completed household tasks on a Saturday morning. Did you select fast-paced music to accompany you as you swept and folded? If you did, you may have noticed that the beat influenced your mood and the speed with which you completed your chores.
Music can also be a welcome addition if you are working in a very loud environment. Your brain may be overwhelmed by sounds coming from various locations and sources (think: a warehouse or call center). As your head tries to organize the noise tidal wave, your body is stressed, and cortisol floods your system, negatively affecting your ability to focus. In this environment, turning on calming music can relax your frayed nerves and shut out the distracting background noise. Music plays the role of “sound therapist” in this setting and increases your ability to focus.
Music can be your trusty sidekick at work if turned on at the right time and place. Need more energy? Select reggaeton with that strong, steel drum. Need to concentrate? Turn on a Mozart playlist. Today, many offices encourage “headphone” etiquette to avoid the whole background music debacle. Regardless of whether you are using ear buds or a loudspeaker, remember the music tempo must match the activity in order for it to be compatible with your productivity goals.
Originally featured in UBA’s July 2021 HR Elements Newsletter.
