Background music has been used in the workplace for centuries. In the Industrial Age women and occasionally orchestras would be hired in the quieter factories to sing and play among the workers. In the Victorian era handloom weavers would sing together to keep awake.
The benefits of background music in the workplace were quickly recognized in stressful modern offices. Many researches showed:
• Increased productivity
• Fewer errors
• Improved alertness
• Team interaction
Background music can even prevent days taken off through illness. Research conducted by Entertainment Media Research for MusicWorks found that 1 in 3 employees are less likely to take time off sick if background music is played in the workplace.
Additional studies have shown that background music in the workplace promotes positive mood, can build team spirit, improves alertness and can reduce the number of workplace accidents
While the benefits of using background music should be evident, employers ought to consider the type of music played in a workplace to ensure that the mood and style best fits the workforce and their desired behaviour.
