Raido on at work - is it more productive or less?

SandC

I have a radio on all day and I love it. I have my own office and you can feel a little isolated, so it breaks it up. Plus I can keep up with what's new and happening, lol.

I started listening to it in the summer when we had a shutdown work so not many people working and my boss was out. When he got back I carried on but asked him did my radio bother him. 'What radio?' he said. It's on so I can hear it but people on the phone can't, nor can it be heard outside my office.

I much prefer it although sometimes I feel like getting up and having a boogie.

chuckley

better to have it on. i HATE offices where people dont speak or have sum kinda noise going on.

but this is coming from sum1 who used to work with a manager that said we could only talk at lunchtime or on calls.

redcard

fluffnutter wrote: »

Don't do it! It's utterly divisive. Unless there are a just a few of you (i.e. two or three) and you all know one another well enough/feel confident enough to honestly state your preferences, e.g. volume, station, on/off for meetings etc, then you're heading for conflict.

There have been studies done - music in the workplace can, in some circumstances, increase a sense of well-being and productivity, but only if it's the volume and type enjoyed by all. Control is very important and if the music's not to someone's liking, then the adverse affect for the individual(s) that don't want the radio is huge misery, stress, resentment - far, far outweighing any positive benefits enjoyed by others.

What often happens is the 'majority verdict', i.e. there's an office of, say 8 people, 7 love the radio, one hates it. The majority rule as typically happens in most workplace conflict scenarios. Generally speaking it's an OK rule - we've all got to get along together after all. But for something like this, the adverse affects for someone who doesn't want it are so potentially extreme as to make their working day a nightmare to the point that they might not want to come to work.

If one single person doesn't want the radio, then you shouldn't have it on. And people have to be able to honestly say they don't; people often don't feel able to have a different opinion and just say "It's OK, I don't mind" because they know everyone else loves it. If you do decide to have a vote, make it an anonymous one so people will feel able to be honest.

And another thing; it's highly likely you'll need a licence from the Performing Rights Society.

I don't get your argument; if 1 person doesn't want it, then it shouldn't be on?

If a group of reasonably-minded adults can't agree on a radio station, then you have the wrong type of person working for you. To say that it can ruin someone's working life is a tad extreme. If that person has issues with the radio, the most likely have issues with 1001 other things that happen in everyday life.

Errata

redcard wrote: »

I don't get your argument; if 1 person doesn't want it, then it shouldn't be on?

If a group of reasonably-minded adults can't agree on a radio station, then you have the wrong type of person working for you. To say that it can ruin someone's working life is a tad extreme. If that person has issues with the radio, the most likely have issues with 1001 other things that happen in everyday life.

Musical tastes vary. Just like mature, well rounded people. If everyone liked the same music there would be only one music channel. There isn't.

starrystarry

I work in an office, no radio as some people don't want to listen to it but we are allowed to use MP3s/ipods etc.

It's a job that requires a high level of concentration and some people (me included) find it easier to concentrate if they can drown out the rest of the background noise (printers, phones, chatter etc) with some low level music of their choice. I'm more productive because I don't get dragged into conversations about the weather, xfactor, what everyone's having for lunch etc.

My boss was a reluctant to allow this at first but she caved in to my repeated requests and now she listens to her ipod sometimes as well.

redcard

Errata wrote: »

Musical tastes vary. Just like mature, well rounded people. If everyone liked the same music there would be only one music channel. There isn't.

Yes, that's all fairly obvious. I think you missed the point.

You don't have to like the particular genre, you don't have to like every single song from a particular genre, you don't have to like every joke the DJ tells.

People are free to like and dislike as the choose. Doesn't have to stop them doing their job.

DCFC79

I dont think it improves productivity but it makes the day go better

balletshoes

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

It would drive me mad having background noise on all the time and you can't cater for everyone's preferences. Not a good idea.

I have to say, even though I love background noise at home, I can't concentrate at work with the radio on. sometimes when we did weekend overtime we'd have the radio on, but to be honest i think it was the level of the noise that was the problem (ie my idea of background noise is not having it belt out so loud that you can't hear what someone 2 desks away from you is saying).

balletshoes

Any wrote: »

You definitely do have to have licence to play the radio. We had visit from the officers in my place of work.

The argument about the radio is the same as about whether you should let people interact IMO. Some might say "no, they are paid to work so they should work the FULL time they get paid for". No coffee breaks or chat in the toilets.

Which is understandable from one point of view, but people are not robots and need some sort of interaction. Radio can serve in it's place.

I was in a job where I sat in the office, all by myself and no radio allowed. Well paid, but drove me mad!!!! What kind of a life is that? The most boring job ever. Couldn't wait to get out of that place every day... Wouldn't wish it back.

The fact is that if you treat people like a robots, you will have high staff turnover, low morale and no loyalty.

you see, in my office we do all chat etc, we are a right social bunch, so theres no need to have the radio on as background noise - as theres loads of that already!

Savvy_Sue

balletshoes wrote: »

I have to say, even though I love background noise at home, I can't concentrate at work with the radio on. sometimes when we did weekend overtime we'd have the radio on, but to be honest i think it was the level of the noise that was the problem (ie my idea of background noise is not having it belt out so loud that you can't hear what someone 2 desks away from you is saying).

and that would be my problem too: especially as some kinds of noise / music have a particularly bad effect on my already impaired hearing!