Music in the Workplace
We have probably all heard and heard of muzak, but did you know there was a job playing recorded music in some big factories, like the one seen in the photo from Cluett, Peabody, & Co., from the 1930s? The original model for entertaining workers who were doing long hours of repetitive tasks was a job as Reader. Some say this practice began in the mid-1860s in cigar factories in Cuba. The company often had control of what was read, but choices of labor newspapers or other more political materials were also used. More recent studies have confirmed that happy, upbeat music can be good for team building and productivity.
As part of the discussion on how the nature of work changes over time, the notion of music in the workplace seems appropriate to reflect upon in the sense that it has impacted (and continues to impact) the way we work. It also hints at how advancement in technology is adapted within the workspace.
What do you think? Does music played in you workplace as background music create a better work environment? Should individuals get to play their own music as long as it doesn’t bother other workers?
