When it comes to motivating your staff – and finding ways to motivate them – it can sometimes be a bit of a tricky task. What might work for one business/team, may not work for another, so it’s important to find the ideal solution for you to ensure your staff is in the best environment to work as effectively and as efficiently as possible. In this post, we will explore the key benefits of having music playing in the workplace.
It puts people in a good mood.
Music is a great way of putting people in a good mood. It’s hard to feel motivated first thing on a Monday morning, or last thing on a Friday when you’ve got the weekend on your mind, but if your staff is feeling full of energy, it may put them in a positive frame of mind to work. It’s an effective way to uplift spirits and give people the motivation to carry on. Not only this but it boosts productivity, as well as improves team interaction.
It improves writing skills.
If you have the type of job where you spend a considerable amount of time typing on a computer, you’ll know that sometimes it’s hard to keep that momentum going if you’re lacking in energy and if your work is starting to feel monotonous. Therefore, music in the office could help you to write quicker and obtain a more solid level of concentration. Getting your work done faster leaves more time to proofread, perfect and get on with other tasks.
It enhances energy levels.
If music in the gym makes people train harder, run faster, and be more determined to succeed, surely the same can be said for the office. No matter what environment you’re in, you’re more likely to reach a certain goal, whether it’s meeting a deadline or prioritizing tasks if you have music to give you a positive push. A chirpy, upbeat, and feel-good song could give you the drive to apply yourself and your skills more effectively.
In a noisy workplace, music may be an escape.
Whilst some may think that headphones in the office are a distraction from work, others believe that office conversations are much more likely to prevent colleagues from getting on with their work. Especially if the conversations aren’t work-related, it can make people more inclined to listen to what’s going on rather than doing their work.
Creativity in the workplace can be developed.
It can be argued that moderate noise levels in the workplace can really get creative juices flowing. However, the type of music chosen is key. Songs with heavy baselines or screechy vocals may be too distracting. In order to engage in deep work, and to use your creative abilities to the best possible advantage, favor a more mellow sound.
Music improves focus.
There’s been a time in all of our lives when we’ve struggled to concentrate on a task that it’s essential for us to complete by a certain deadline. In these instances, music is certainly not a hindrance – well, not familiar music anyway.
If you’re distracted in your surroundings and are finding it difficult to concentrate, putting your headphones in and listening to some familiar music could be just what you need to help you focus. If you need to focus intently then avoid new music, the reason being is that with music that’s unfamiliar to you, you don’t know what to expect and will therefore subconsciously listen much more closely to see what happens next.
With familiar music from your favorite band let’s say, you already know what to expect which means the music will not be your primary focus.
What’s beneficial?
During immersive tasks where you really do need to concentrate, obviously listening to music you like is a good place to start. However, research has shown that there are certain types of music that could be best suited to ensuring productivity.
- Classical: Classical music rarely contains lyrics and because of this, is extremely popular when with people that really need to get things done. Studies have shown that music from the Baroque period provides a huge boost to productivity. Remember, not all classical pieces will be as effective as others, some are pretty heavy in tone and won’t be as effective as the delicate likes of Für Elise.
- Electronic Music: There are many sub-genres of electronic music, one that we’re particularly interested in is chill-out, ambient house, all in the category of ambient electronica. This type of music will never take over your thought process, it’s something that you’ll very much notice but it’s extremely unobtrusive, allowing you to concentrate on the task at hand.
Author: Flo Turak is the Group Marketing Executive at Egan Reid, a workplace and education supplies and furniture specialist based in North West England. You can find her on LinkedIn. Aside from managing Egan Reid’s marketing and communication, Flo has a real passion for great content and unique design. She’s also a bit of an office product geek.
