Music In The Workplace Can Work. But It Takes Work

Compassionate leadership isn’t just about being kind; it’s about having the understanding to apply that kindness to challenging situations. Technalink has always practiced compassionate leadership. It requires a lot of that quality when it comes to addressing one of the biggest challenges in the workplace, the policy for music.

Music Actually Works

First, it’s important to recognize that music is not just a frivolous distraction playing in the air. Humans are emotional creatures, and music is an emotional medium. As a result, when music is playing in a workplace, this can undeniably affect the people in that space.

Studies have shown that music in a workplace, especially if it’s more energetic and positive, can increase productivity in the workplace. So with the proper application of music, everyone in the office may work better and happier, but this is where the next challenge comes in.

The Headphone Dilemma

One of the biggest obstacles to music in the workplace is finding something that everyone finds tolerable. The easiest solution to this problem is to allow people to wear headphones, but this introduces its own problems. Headphones are an “isolating accessory” in that they allow people to withdraw into the music and themselves, distancing themselves from what’s happening in their surroundings.

This makes it more difficult to have casual, spontaneous interactions crucial to good working relationships and even higher productivity. The challenge is to find a way to keep people from isolating themselves by going through a rotation of music that most can find tolerable. Today’s video streaming services using a streaming bitrate calculator, go a long way toward providing the vast collections of songs needed, and you may want to consider allowing employees to try their hand at compiling playlists that everyone can evaluate and approve of.

If you’re interested in bringing more elements of compassionate leadership into your office, try reading The Om Factor: A Women’s Spiritual Guide To Leadership. It’s now available in print, eBook, and audiobook formats.