Music lifts mood and makes for a happy workforce

LISTENING tomusic lifts moraleand makes for a happy workforce, a final-year management student at Waterford Institute of Technology has discovered.

Student David Carter suggested employers should allow their workforce listen to music as it motivates and makes them more productive.

The 22-year-old’s thesis, “The effectiveness of music and arts-based training as a motivational factor in organisations” forms part of his WIT’s Bachelor of Business degree. I spent an entire year researching this and proved that workers who listen to music are a lot happier and the music lifts their morale,” David said.

“It will raise eyebrows in workplaces where management have consistently refused to allow workers listen to radio or music.”

David surveyed a range of people from different professions and found that just over 30% of people listen to music at work.

The professions most likely to listen to music at work are electricians and clerical staff.

However, his findings suggest music can motivate and boast production in people from all professions.

“The attitude to listening to music in the workplace needs a major change,” he said “My findings indicate that employers and employees can really benefit for it. It can change the entire attitude of the employer and improve alertness.”

He also interviewed managing directors of companies who had not been familiar with the benefits of music in the workplace, but who said that, after discussing the positive effects, it was something they would consider.

Background music is most effective in improving productivity in jobs that are repetitive, mundane or physically demanding.

David was not forthcoming on what he listened to when he worked on his thesis.