I think it would depend on the people that work. I personally love listening to music but when I'm working I find it hard to concentrate on what I'm doing when music is playing on the background especially music that have spoken words on it.
Having music is definitely a plus for me in the office. It makes the mood lighter despite the stress and business of the workplace. Some offices do not like music because they want their employees to focus more on the work. A silent office also feels awkward to me because everything is so silent and it is so deafening.
I'm so used to being in offices without music that I think I'd find it weird if I was in an environment where there is some. I guess it depends on the culture of the organization. Even worked in financial services and music really isn't the norm. But I quite like the idea of it.
I think it would depend on the type of music and also the type of business. After all when you go into a library you don't want to hear music even light sounding music. Although, people including employees are allowed to have MP3's there. Now I have been doctor and dental offices where music was allowed but usually at a low volume with a soothing type of music. There will also be offices that may not want it because they are giving a certain image to the public of professionalism. But I would give odds that again staff are allowed to listen to music through headphones while at their desk doing work and not in the outter area serving desk. Most officese seem to allow that at least.
I prefer music as well, but I guess not all companies do that and not all employees enjoy working with music in the background. Maybe you just visited that particular company on a day that they simply forgot all about it or something...
I enjoy music in an office as long as it’s playing fairly quietly. I will admit I would prefer another radio station rather than the one we usually listen to (Top 40 when I’d prefer the alternative/indie station), but eh, I’m not the supervisor, haha. It could be much worse. Sometimes having music playing is one of the things that keeps me awake if the day seems to be dragging, or if I’m doing a particularly repetitive task.
I used to love listening to music when I was revising for important tests as a teenager. But all of that seems to have changed. I don't know what it is, but my focus isn't as good as it used to be when I was a teenager. Whenever I am doing a task these days, I seem to need complete silence, otherwise I fear that I'll miss something important, and won't be able to complete the task properly.
I welcome music in the office. It's just that, it should be kept to a minimum so as not to disrupt office activity. In the office, because a speaker is not allowed, I just hum or use an mp3 player to take boredom away. Some of my office colleagues would just belt out and sing. But I had found out that music is very much welcome in the hospitals because it takes less stress in such a hectic environment. It can soothe the patients, the watchers, and the staff.
I'm a teacher and I've tried playing different styles of music while students are working. I find during a quiet independent time I play a classical/ Celtic music the kids really enjoy it and if I forget to play it they ask for it. It's very calming and soothing for the kids. If we are doing art, I take requests and I play top 40 music while they work on art. I love having music on while I work. Music for some kids helps them stay focused
I think that music while working is fine by me. I do various freelance works but when I'm transcribing, that's when I cannot listen to music. Well, for obvious reasons really. But when I'm just writing or proofreading, it's okay to listen to music as it relaxes and calms me down. Plus, time goes by faster when you have music on.
If there's no music playing I can't concentrate. Maybe that's just me, but I find music actually helps me to be more productive. Whenever I'm doing any work of any kind if there's complete silence it puts me off and I find I get distracted. If I can have music on then I'll get right to whatever I have to get done and it'll get done faster than if there's no music as well. That being said, I prefer to listen to music through headphones if I'm with other people because others in the office singing along annoys me and actually distracts me more than no music. If I'm the only one there (and often I am) then it's fine to be over speakers, though.
When I'm working or studying I always put some music, it helps me to concentrate and put me on a bubble in a way. I usually play a Jazz or a very light beated Hip-hop, and also R&B. The key of it is to play music you have never heard before, so you don't follow the rhythm that much.
Our company is lenient on music and it depends on the department. However, our department head, the senior vice president seemed to be a music-hater so there is no music in our area. Isn't it nice to hear Christmas songs to liven up the place particularly now that Christmas is fast approaching? Unfortunately our boss is a kill-joy.
The only experience that I really have with music in the office, would have been music in my high school environment. I worked in an office, but I was temping, and had not really earned the freedom to be able to listen to music around the office, if that makes any sense. At school though, the only thing I used to do was listen to music.
I don't like to work with music playing in the background because it's distracting; perhaps instrumental soft music which is not commercially known is a good option to be played at most office settings and even at home for those like me who are distracted when music plays. In an office environment, soft music can be relaxing for visitors and people waiting, but for employees is unknown. It depends on each person but, eventually their opinion may not change what is an administrative decision to play it or not. However people who listens to their own music at office make me feel like they are careless people who are more worried to enjoy the time spent at work that doing the job itself.
I actually dislike any kind of music playing in the background because it messes up with my concentration. Unless the music is turned low and not that "intrusive" to the ears then I won't be ok with it.
I don't mind so much having the news on the TV playing in the background or something like that, or maybe even talk radio. But when it's a playlist of like the same 10-15 songs on repeat over and over 8 hours a day, it's enough to drive me nuts. In addition, some places choose music that has limited appeal, making it even more irritating. I can barely stand being in our local Dollar General stores because they all blast this awful country music. I swear they do it to deter younger kids from loitering. Our local Save-A-Lot stores play this awful 2nd rate music, from no name bands and musicians that never made it big. If I recall, I think technically stores are supposed to pay licensing fees to broadcast music in their stores, which is why you don't often hear top 40 stuff in some places, but instead, generic elevator music. I think the one exception to the rule for me would be in bathrooms, where I'm the exact opposite. I have a shy bladder and cannot go if I'm in a bathroom with others and it's dead quiet. It just weirds me out because the sound of everyone using the toilet becomes the center of attention, lol. However if I'm in a noisy nite club that's packed, I'm perfectly fine using the bathrooms, lol.
Well working on things while there is music playing on the background is a great way to become more productive whether in the workplace or study place which is in my case since I'm still in college. I always found it easier to solve problems while I'm listening to mellow songs rather than work in a quiet environment because the silence sometimes become deafening.
