The Work Clinic

Even the best loved jobs can cause misery once in a while, and the average employer is delighted when staff take it upon themselves to brighten up both their own working day and that of their colleagues. Cheering up customers or clients at the same time is a bonus.

So it comes as something of a surprise to hear that staff (several of them unpaid volunteers) at the mental health charity Mind's Exeter shop have been told to stop singing. what harm could these latter day Doris Days be doing? Apparently the problem lies not with the quality of their warbling, or even with their repertoire, but - as do many of our issues these days - with the law.

Mind has forbidden its shop staff from playing radios as they work, because the charity does not hold the necessary £60 licence from the Performing Rights Society (PRS), which collects royalties on behalf of musicians. Workers in the Exeter shop have been asked to stop singing in case listeners suspect that they are using the radio as a backing track, thereby incurring a £500 fine.

The PRS and the Association of Charity Shops have negotiated a reduced fee - let's hope that Mind accepts. But isn't it ludicrous that people who are giving their time for free aren't allowed to have a bit of fun at the same time? And surely managers have realised that creating a fun atmosphere in shops will entice customers in.