Last updated 27 July 2022 ·
Maintaining a productive workforce is no easy task for business owners. Luckily, there are various proven methods of motivating employees and enhancing the mental capacity of the workplace to boost productivity. Listening to music is one of the most effective.
Yes, you read that right. Listening to the right music can help you concentrate at work.
Music fills empty spaces with a sense of satisfaction and value. It comes in handy when you need to relax and unwind, relieve stress, and boost productivity. In the workplace, specific genres of music set the tone and help employees focus on their work. How does music do this?
Does listening to music make you more productive?
Of course, music in the workplace can increase concentration, enhance focus, and generally create a better environment for productivity. Psychology explains this in a music therapy principle known as the “iso principle”. It explains that different music genres can affect a person’s general mood and the space they’re in.
However, different styles of music affect people in different ways. For example, a study by the Journal of the American Medical Association discovered that a surgeon operated more accurately and proficiently when music played within the operating theatre than when it didn’t. This just goes to show that creating a playlist according to the work environment can turn around the mental space for day-to-day activities.
How does music affect productivity?
Numerous global studies have been vital in uncovering the direct relationship between music, productivity, and wellbeing. So how exactly does music affect productivity? Let’s find out.
1. Inspires effective goal-setting
Music has a rhythm, and a rhythm gets you moving. It takes advantage of neuroplasticity, our brains’ ability to develop new paths to success in any field. Music can provide employees access to the brain’s most creative and forgotten areas to recover information and learn how to develop strategic goals to achieve personal and organisational success.
Goals are a must-have for all successful businesses to plan their strategy and track performance. Having something to work towards motivates employees and makes them feel more connected to the workplace. The purpose of OKRs, Objectives and Key Results is to set practical, ambitious and achievable goals. Music can play a significant role in setting goals in the workplace.
2. Transforms the mood
Music is intricately connected to emotions. A perfect illustration of this is a technique used by movie sound engineers who use slow music to increase tension and big swells of music to trigger a rush of emotions. This is the same way that music works in the workplace. Listening to specific sounds can change employees’ moods and energy levels and provide motivation. No one type fits all, and different genres of music are proven to work differently for certain people, so it’s essential to find the best genre that motivates you as an employee. A study by CBS revealed that 61% of workers who listened to music at the workplace reported being happier and content with their work and life in general. As people’s workplaces have changed recently with the move to more people working from home, playing music in the background can enhance your environment and drown out any background noise!
3. Improves focus
The positive impacts of music in the workplace are endless. Research by Teresa Lesiuk of the University of Miami revealed that compared to workers who don’t listen to music, those who do were able to complete tasks quickly and avoid other distractions. Cultivating and maintaining focus at all times in the workplace is essential, and having music as part of the work life is a sure way of encouraging that.
At Reclaro, we find calm, relaxing music for concentration, easily found on YouTube, works wonders to drive focus and remove distractions.
4. Boosts teamwork
Music brings people together and strengthens bonds. While many people listen to music alone with headphones, listening together can mobilise teams to push towards corporate goals. Those that hold regular team-building activities or team-away days to strengthen corporate cultures can benefit from using music to motivate employees during these days and help create an environment of creativity and innovation.
Enhance your work: Productivity music for you
Music is just one way to motivate employees and help them stay focused on everything they do in the workplace. At Reclaro, we are committed to ensuring that organisations enjoy a clear path to achieving their goals.
If you want to learn more about improving productivity within your business, check out our blog offering ten steps to increase employee engagement, productivity and happiness at work.
Alternatively, if you want to find out how much you could save as a business by improving productivity levels amongst all teams, try our Productivity Calculator™ today. You will be shocked by the result!
