Music on Worker Productivity
Abstract
Music helps in analyzing the moods of an individual and could be used as a tool that would help in increasing concentration of employees at a working place. The level of performance and productivity is also associated with the genre of music played in a workplace. For instance, R&B music helps in easing the minds of employees who later reports an increase in concentration as well as productivity. The research aims at answering the question of if playing background R&B music in a company increases the level of productivity and concentration. Similarly, the study would ascertain whether people have different perspectives towards music in their working stations. The research was conducted at a restaurant indicating the need for background music preferably R&B thus, concluding that playing music in background increased productivity and concentration. Age could affect the answers obtained from the research since the study was conducted using the youths. Therefore, another study should follow in investigating the response of music from the elderly people.
Music on Worker Productivity
Music in workplaces provides a conducive environment to workers. Music with a low volume and background has been reported to help workers in concentration as well as reduce monotonous in the working centers. However, a study conducted on the importance of music in workplaces has not provided positive feedback to every working place. Some results have concluded that music causes noise and affects the psychological concentration of some workers as well as affecting the productivity (Huang & Shih 2009). The study on the importance of music in productivity incorporated a method of analyzing a random trial in a company and the possible results initiated from the inclusion of music in the production area (Balsnes & Jansson, 2015). Background music might be of help in many working places such as hotels, offices, restaurants, hospitals, and also in public transport vehicles (Balsnes & Jansson, 2015). The music should be of low volume not to affect the workers in losing concentration. Therefore, this research analyses the importance of R&B music in the production and worker performance.
Methodology
The study included the analysis of previous research conducted on the effects of R&B music on the productivity. However, the previous studies had not been clear on the importance of music in various working places. The research would include a study of a hotel industry by analyzing the importance of music in restaurants.
Participants
The project incorporated the presence of 30 workers from a certain hotel who volunteered to help in the study. Most participants were young from the age of 20 to 35 years old. The manager of the restaurant informed the workers on the importance of the study since he wanted to ascertain whether music added value to the productivity in his hotel. Therefore, every participant accepted the test study to come up with different results that would help in determining the importance of music in the productivity.
Tools
Different sets of music were selected in the study. First, R&B music that has a slow tempo was set aside. Second, R&B music with vigorous words and pace was also set aside to test the effects of different tempo. Similarly, music with lyrics was also tested as it appeared on the screens.
Procedure
The process of ascertaining the different responses of music and people was that the 30 participants would be divided into two groups as their shifts suggested. The first group would work during the daytime and the second group would work at night shifts. The daytime group would listen to slow tempo music while the night shift group was to listen to high tempo music. Both sessions were to use a low volume since most customers in the restaurant would not accept high volume music. Therefore, the manager and the supervisors were asked to record the response and the behaviors of the workers during both sessions. For instance, the manager would watch whether R&B affected the moods of the workers during their shifts. He would record facial expressions of every employee whenever certain music was playing. Similarly, the process involved a part where the restaurant would mute music in an effort of ascertaining the productivity level when workers have no access to music. The managers and project personalities were to record the responses of the workers without music.
Results
The procedure recorded diverse results obtained from the study. The process included two different groups one working at daytime while the other working at night. Both groups had two working sessions where one part included music in the background while the other did not have music. Therefore, the procedure would incorporate four different results from the study.
First, the study analyzed the productivity when the restaurant played R&B music in the background. All the fifteen participants during the day responded positively to the music played in the background. The manager had recorded how the working team participated in facial expressions while listening to slow-tempo R&B music in the background. The productivity level increased from by a margin of 50%. The manager also claimed that the music in the background helped the workers maintain a steady movement in their operations since almost every worker was carried away by the R&B music in the background. The workers responded to the customers present in the restaurant positively as the music played in the background.
Second, the same group was tested with the absence of music in the background. The manager killed the music, and the workers were required to work without background music. There was confusion all over the place since most employees were heard arguing. Similarly, the noise from the activities interrupted the concentration of every worker in the restaurant. People were seeing looking at different directions whenever something breaks or a noise coming from the kitchen. The manager claimed that the production level decreased.
The third analysis was at night where music was played at a higher volume as well as an increased tempo. R&B music was the research catalyst since the study was to ascertain whether that type of music helped in increasing the level of productivity in a company. The night shift group showed that the music in the background helped in increasing the level of concentration since the workers reported an elevation of working moods. Similarly, the manager claimed that workers were unlikely to sleep during working hours as compared to the times when music was shut down. The music was killed at night, and the results were as well as negative compared to the session with music. The research was to ascertain whether music was an added advantage towards productivity. Therefore, the study helped the manager in concluding that music added the level of production as the workers raised their concentration.
Discussion
Statement of Findings
The results of the study onto whether music adds productivity concluded with evidence that R&B music has a role in the betterment of a working environment. Other studies conducted in the similar discussion have analyzed various incidents where the workers have reported an increase in productivity when incorporated with listening to R&B music (Huang & Shih 2009; Balsnes & Jansson, 2015; Hyman, 2008). For instance, a person in an office could utilize the presence of music for avoiding the noise coming from every side of the office. Similarly, music could encourage cooperation in a working place by the R&B happy songs are played within workmates. Cooperation in a working place is brought by the incorporation of music where workers tend to listen to the same music at the same time.
Music has an effect on the concentration level. Hyman, (2008) have ascertained that workers who engage in listening to music in a working place would possess positivity in their jobs. For example, the research indicated that music helps in minimizing boredom in repetitive jobs. A person doing a specific job over and over would require music to ease the monotonous of doing the same job over and over again. Similarly, another research conducted on the effectiveness of music in a workplace indicated that music helps in a noisy place (Huang & Shih 2009). People working at busy places such as hotels would need the presence of music to minimize the risks associated with noise coming from other activities. For instance, a restaurant has many individuals engaging in talks, laughter, as well as other activities (Hyman, 2008). Therefore, the workers in such a restaurant would not concentrate on their job if they keep listening to people’s talks. The presence of music in such places would help every worker to concentrate on their job as they ignore the activities of the customers.
Different variety of music helps in maintaining the flow of operations in a workplace (Hyman, 2008). However, people are usually advised not to prefer their favorite music during work since singing along a song while working would create a distraction. Similarly, listening or watching songs that have lyrics on the screen would as well distract a worker (Novak, Lopa, & Novak, 2010). Therefore, the best way to utilize music while working is to listen to those songs that have little words with soft beats. Low tempo would also work best in the workplaces as they help in minimizing the noise around as well as reducing the effects of repeating the same job.
The connection between a song and the mind is that music plays a part in creating memories. Music would help the workers focus on their work as the music played would help the employees concentrate due to a certain feeling being triggered by the music being played (Hyman, 2008). For instance, a restaurant playing happy R&B songs at a certain time would install happy moods probably from a previous occasion when the song was being played, and the workers would remember the occasion as they work.
Factors affecting the results
The study included the research of a restaurant that used music to increase productivity. However, the research did not ascertain the relationship between productivity and music at different levels of age. Age was one of the factors that would affect the results obtained from such a project. The individuals used in the research were below the age of 35 since most employees in the restaurant were among the youths. Music has a different influence towards different age groups. For the young, music acts as an entertainer and most young people prefer noisy and loud music while the elder people prefer slow and low volume music (Reynolds & Hamann, 2010). Therefore, the people who gave the answers to the project on the importance of music included the youths who preferred music background instead of a silent restaurant.
Music incorporation in a workplace could be a good thing, but at times people prefer silent and noiseless environments when under pressure or stress. Some people could be having bad days at work and would prefer a noise free environment. Therefore, the research conducted could have false results if undertaken through the stage of stressful moments. The employees working at the restaurant would choose the R&B music just for the sake of the research but probably their preference would be different. Similarly, moods would also determine the level of productivity in a workplace (Robertson, Korczynski, & Pickering, 2007). People with low mood issues would show a lower percentage of productivity regardless of the presence of happy or upbeat R&B songs.
The research aimed at providing evidence onto the motion whether music adds value to the productivity level in a given workplace. However, the role of managers and the supervisors in a company is to ensure that the employees attain a specific productivity level in the company. Regardless of the importance of the music in the company, many individuals fail to show development in productivity. For instance, people who work in the field would not show the need for the music since the noise outside does not require music (Shih, Huang, & Chiang, 2011). Additionally, the effects of music would be different in other places apart from a restaurant. People working in a textile factory could not need music because of the noise. Sometimes it would be difficult to include music in a restaurant since some customers would request the management to minimize the volume or else kill the music. It all goes with the needs of a customer.
The research could have been better if other places were studied in depth. For instance, not every place of work requires music for productivity. For instance, Robertson, Korczynski, & Pickering, (2007) claims that some offices need total silence so that the workers could concentrate on their work. Music would act as a distraction from the daily activities where an individual would be required to shut down the music for a better concentration of his or her work (Shih, Huang, & Chiang, 2011). Therefore, it all depends on the person of interest and the nature of the work done. Some jobs like hospitals need 100% concentration level meaning the presence of music in hospitals would not be productive.
Significance of the Research
The research conducted ascertained that music has a role in increasing the productivity level of an individual in a working place. The research only consisted of several individuals working at a restaurant and wanted to test the behaviors of the individuals in the presence of music as well as without music (Smith, 2008). Evidently, the productivity level of employees with the presence of music increased compared to the productivity without music. The study helped clear the doubts of various researchers who claim that music does not add value to the productivity.
The study of the importance of R&B music in a workplace has led to the discussion on what affects the use of music in working places. There are some negative impacts associated with the use of background music in the productivity of the employees. Employees from different companies would not have similar effects of music in their working places. For instance, a busy office or a hospital would not require the presence of music as a background, but a restaurant would require background music to reduce the boredom of the employees.
The study would have been better if performed at a busy office. People with different professionals have diverse views concerning the presence of music in their working places. For instance, doctors and magistrates would not choose music to add productivity since their places of work requires silence and concentration (Tuohey, 2012). Therefore, a court and a hospital would need to be visited by future researchers in ascertaining the importance of music in their careers as a help in increasing the productivity. Future research should focus on providing evidence on different working places and the level of productivity added by listening to R&B music or any other music.
Most employers prefer low volume music in their places of work. Loud music does not help in adding productivity, and it affects the concentration of the workers. Therefore, employers would choose to install music system that has a balanced volume in their working places to help the workers cooperate and concentrate on their jobs. The managers have the mandate to choose the kind of music that has positive results in the company. For instance, happy music would help the employees show a happy perception towards their jobs (Van Niekerk & Page-shipp, 2014). Similarly, a high tempo music played in an office would help the employees increase pace in their doings as they are motivated by the pace the music is playing.
The research conducted helped in claiming that workers who listen to music while working had reported significant speed in completing their tasks. For instance, another study ascertained that workers that listen to R&B music while working possessed a higher degree of productivity since they completed their tasks faster compared to those who could not listen to any music (Tuohey, 2012). Furthermore, the employees working with music produced new ideas in the working places since the music elevated their moods that increased their participation. Therefore, music helps in bringing the minds of an individual together in an effort of elevating the concentration as well as increasing the productivity.
Conclusion
Music and production in a company are two relatable words. Research has claimed that music helps in elevating the level of production as well as increasing concentration in an office. Research conducted in a restaurant was to ascertain the relationship between music and the productivity of various employees. The results obtained showed that R&B music played at the restaurant helped the employees concentrate on their job as well as elevating their working moods. The research included an investigation where 30 employees were watched and their response to different types of music. Half of the employees in the Research worked with the presence of music while the other half worked without music. The results showed different responses where those who worked with music had a higher level of productivity compared to the other group that worked without music. Therefore, the study was to help in answering the question on the importance of music in the production line. Several factors have affected the research including the age bracket of the individual variables used such as the age of the employees where it was seen that the youths could prefer the presence of music while the elder people could prefer a silent environment. The research has shown the importance of music in increasing concentration as well as productivity.
References
Balsnes, A. H., & Jansson, D. (2015). Unfreezing identities: Exploring choral singing in the workplace. International Journal of Community Music, 2(1), 163-178.
Huang, R.-H., & Shih, Y.-N. (2009). Effects of background music on concentration of workers. Work, 38(4),383-387.
Hyman, J. (2008). What workers say: Employee voice in the Anglo-American workplace. British Journal of Industrial Relations,367-383.
Novak, C. C., Lopa, J. L., & Novak, R. E. (2010). Effects of sound pressure levels and sensitivity to noise on mood and behavioral intent in a controlled fine dining restaurant environment. Journal of Culinary Science & Technology, 8(4), 191-218.
Reynolds, G. A., & Hamann, D. L. (2010). Music education faculty research publication productivity covering the years 1989-2003. Contributions to Music Education, 37(1), 9-22.
Robertson, E., Korczynski, M., & Pickering, M. (2007). Harmonious relations? Music at work in the Rowntree and Cadbury factories. Business History, 49(2), 211-234.
Shih, Y.-N., Huang, R.-H., & Chiang, H.-Y. (2011). Background music: Effects on attention performance.Work, 42(4), 573-578.
Smith, M. (2008). The effects of a single music relaxation session on state anxiety levels of adults in a workplace environment. Australian Journal of Music Therapy,19(2008), 45-66.
Tuohey, T. V. (2012). Sing, play, dance! music and music education in industry. Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, 34(1), 23-44.
Van Niekerk, C., & Page-Shipp, R. (2014). Improving the quality of meetings using music. Total Quality Management, 25(11-12), 1382–1394.
