[ad_1]
Music at work
Over the ages, music has held a place in the work environment. From its use in the earliest times until its near extinction during the industrial age to the present day, music has played a vital role for employees.
A brief history
Music is a universal language that transcends borders. In Victorian times, hand weavers sang as they worked. When the noisy machines of the industrial age appeared, the music in the workplace was almost lost. During World War II, music was again presented to employees via radio.
The employees, often children, lost their fingers on the looms trying to remove something that was blocking it. Child laborers sang to stay awake.
Railway workers and farmers sang to ease the monotony and remain alert to dangers. With the advent of machines in the industrial age, singing was literally drowned out. In quieter factories, women or orchestras were hired to sing and play among the workers. Music practically died out during this time. (le Roux, 2005, vol. 7)
Radio was primarily used as a means of transmitting information, but in 1940 the British Broadcasting Corporation began broadcasting a radio show called “Music While You Work”. It worked twice a day and was specially designed for factory workers. The entertainment groups were tasked with playing medleys in order to gain the attention of the workers. It was also essential that the music kept a beat that would maintain productivity.
In 1942, the song “Deep in Heart of Texas” was banned due to the applause section that encouraged workers to stop momentarily and participate. (le Roux, 2005) Even at this time, the benefits of music in the workplace were recognized:
o Increased productivity
o Fewer accidents
o Improved vigilance
o Team interaction
In response to the positive reaction, the Muzak Company was founded in the 1950s to provide music to businesses. The company is still going strong today.
Modern study of music in the workplace
In modern times, studies have been conducted to assess the benefits of music in a work environment. These studies proved much of what was already known, mainly that music improves productivity.
One study indicates that “positive affect and quality of work were lowest without music, while time spent on task was longest when music was removed.” (Lesiuk, 2005, pp.173-191) On the other hand, “a positive mood change and improved perception of design” (Lesiuk, pp.173-191) were supplemented by the addition of music.
Additional studies have shown that music in the workplace promotes positive moods, team spirit, improves alertness and can reduce accidents. Music “motivates workers, decreases boredom and leads to increased productivity, perhaps because people are working to keep pace.” (le Roux, 2005)
Employers should take into account the type of music played in the workplace. The mood and style should suit the business. Experts suggest fully instrumental soundtracks so that workers are not distracted by the lyrics. (Guess, 1999, p. 42)
Personal helmets in the workplace
Today there is a movement towards personal stereos for employees. A study by researchers at the University of Illinois shows that listening to music can increase employee performance in all types of jobs. (Oldham, 1996, p. 95) The idea of personal stereos is that when a worker is allowed to listen to the type of music he likes, the better the quality of his work. Although this idea is fairly recent, it looks promising.
Conclusion
Music has undoubtedly been the soundtrack of humanity since the dawn of time. It speaks to people on a primitive level. Even before researchers began to study the effect of music on workers, people were weaving, working in their fields or other jobs while humming or singing. Today, researchers are proving what these people knew all along: Music speeds up work and keeps morale high.
Mentioned works
Can Personal Stereos Improve Productivity ?, Oldham, Greg, 1996
hrmagazine.be
Working on Music, Guess, Terri P., 1999, blackenterprise.com
“Whistle while you work”: historical account of certain musical associations,
Work and health, le Roux, Gordon Marc, 2005, ajph.org
The Effect of Listening to Music on Work Performance, Lesuik, Teresa, 2005, pom.sagepub.com
[ad_2]
Source by Nikola Marshall
