It seems that we’re primed from infancy to enjoy music. Play an upbeat tune for a toddler and watch as they sway along to the music or burst into an all-out dance. Even the grumpiest of days get better when your favorite tune plays on the radio.
But can music make you smarter? If so, what role should it be playing in your workplace? Here are some things to consider regarding music and IQ levels as well as how to approach music being played in your place of work.
Look at the Research
According to The Connection between Music and Language, early age music training can boost vocabulary and verbal IQ, and it gives children a better sense of grammar. At an older age, adults often cite the ability to focus more fully on a task while listening to music. In fact, one study showed that factory employees did their best work while listening to upbeat or happy music.
Since listening to music while working is, essentially, a form of multitasking, it may not be a wise option for all. Rather, those who prefer to multitask may be best served by listening to music at work versus those to prefer to complete one task at a time without interruptions.
Use Music as Healing
Music can also be therapeutic for employees after challenging or long days at work. Music therapy is a widely recognized form of treatment for a variety of troubles and is used to improve lives.
Music isn’t just fun and motivating. It can also have a profound impact on a person’s brain and body. Employees who are prone to stress or who work in high action jobs may be able to more efficiently de-stress by listening to music at work.
Improve the Business Mood
If music can help improve workplace productivity and reduce employee stress, it could also improve the tone in your place of work. Employees who are allowed to listen to music at work feel rewarded and have a higher sense of control over their workspaces. But, of course, even with its benefits, music can backfire in the workplace if played without rules.
Set Music Rules
Make the most of music’s benefits by establishing rules regarding it in the workplace. For example, there should be rules that state whether employees can play music on a radio or computer or if they must listen to tunes through headphones. If your employees work in a shop environment, create rules on the type of music that will be broadcast, its volume and hours of play. These rules can keep all employees on the same page and minimize disagreements regarding music being played in the workplace.
Music puts a step in your feet and a smile on your face. But can it make your employees smarter? At the very least, letting employees listen to music at work can improve their mood and morale. Set workplace rules regarding music and enjoy the boost that the tunes can bring to your business environment.