Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

StressOfficesEmployee engagementLatest NewsPhysical environment

Can I wear headphones when we get back to the office?

by Jo Faragher 12 Jun 2020
by Jo Faragher 12 Jun 2020 Air guitar may be perceived as antisocial
Shutterstock
Air guitar may be perceived as antisocial
Shutterstock

Whether it’s to drown out the sound of children fighting or a way to aid concentration when working from home, many of us will have got used to wearing headphones at our desks during lockdown.

But what happens when we (gradually) return to offices? Will it still be acceptable to tune out colleagues with huge noise-cancellers or barely-there ear-pods? Music licensing company PPL PRS has come up with some thoughts on how to navigate headphone etiquette at work.

Music aids productivity

For some workers, music can help them stay on task, particularly if it’s something they’re familiar with.

It’s not always suitable to share across an office music system as not everyone will share their taste, so employees should explain to others that they want to stay ‘in the zone’ and get something done, and they’re not judging others’ conversations or distractions.

Music can also help employees eliminate stress by placing them in a good frame of mind, helping them to focus on important tasks. Wearing headphones can also be a useful signal that someone has a big deadline and engaging in office conversation isn’t practical right now.

Isn’t it antisocial?

PPL PRS reminds us that some colleagues may see wearing headphones in the office as antisocial or unprofessional.

If they’re discussing a work matter, for example, it may be frustrating for them if certain employees never offer ideas or opinions because they’re ‘shut away’ with their music or podcast.

One way to avoid this perception is for employees to keep music at low volume or only listen with one earphone, rather than having colleagues waving and shouting everytime they want to get that person’s attention.

What can be antisocial is if the music is so loud that those around it can still hear a tinny noise or even sing along with the tunes. Has everyone else in the office started doing the YMCA? Might be time to turn down the volume.

Working as a team

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

It should go without saying that group work should mean all employees give their full attention rather than keeping one ear on their playlist. One idea might be to play music aloud so the whole team can hear – certain types of music have been shown to aid productivity more than others. A ‘focus’ playlist could be helpful for everyone involved, says PPL PRS.

Talent management opportunities on Personnel Today

Browse more talent management jobs

Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. Jo is also the author of 'Good Work, Great Technology', published in 2022 by Clink Street Publishing, charting the relationship between effective workplace technology and productive and happy employees. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

previous post
Survivor’s guilt: supporting staff who have avoided redundancy
next post
‘Introduce ethnicity pay gap reporting now’, government urged

You may also like

Restaurant tips should be included in holiday pay

21 May 2025

Fewer workers would comply with a return-to-office mandate

21 May 2025

Redefining leadership: From competence to inclusion

21 May 2025

Pay awards in real terms could fall for...

21 May 2025

Ryanair demands flight attendants pay back salary increase

21 May 2025

Consultation launched after Supreme Court ‘sex’ ruling

20 May 2025

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Black security manager awarded £360k after decade of...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

UK and EU agree to collaborate on ‘youth...

19 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+