Science says: it depends
For many employees, slipping on headphones is as much a part of starting the workday as logging into email. But whether those playlists actually help people focus or quietly erode performance and wellbeing is more complicated than a simple yes or no.
UNSW Sydney music psychologist Professor Emery Schubert, citing a 2022 research study, said music can be a powerful aid for certain kinds of work but a hindrance for others.
Routine, repetitive, or physical tasks often benefit from a steady beat because workers can unconsciously sync their movements with the rhythm in a process known as "rhythmic entrainment," making the work feel smoother and faster.
By contrast, when jobs demand heavy reading, writing, or complex problem-solving, background tracks are more likely to compete with the words and concepts employees are trying to process.
"Background music often doesn't help with memory and language tasks, such as reading comprehension and reading speed, especially when the music contains lyrics," Schubert said in an article for The Conversation.
"When you're processing words, extra words supplied by the song are competing for attention."
Mood, motivation, autonomy
While productivity is often the focus of workplace debates, a growing body of evidence suggests the bigger story may be how music shapes employees' emotions and sense of control.
According to a study published in the journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, employees use music at work in three broad ways:
- Emotional (to manage feelings)
- Cognitive (to focus on musical complexity)
- Background (as a low-level soundtrack while doing other tasks).
The researchers found that emotional use – for example, choosing energising tracks to lift mood before a difficult task – was the only type consistently linked with higher job satisfaction and better self-rated performance.
Background listening told a different story.
According to the same study, using music simply as "sonic wallpaper" had no direct benefit for performance and was actually associated with lower job satisfaction, with an indirect negative effect on how people rated their own effectiveness.
Crucially for HR leaders, the researchers argue that when and how employees listen may be as important as the music itself.
They note that workers who can choose their preferred tracks and listening mode, for example, headphones versus shared speakers, tend to report better mood and a more positive work experience.
When music backfires
For sectors that pipe in customer-friendly playlists, the risks of getting it wrong are becoming clearer.
An article from Hearology, which cited research from Ohio State University, found that employees exposed to music that didn't match their preferences or cognitive needs reported more fatigue and poorer focus.
"The effects were particularly pronounced in employees who found it hard to filter out distractions," the article noted.
In a follow-up study tracking 68 workers over three weeks, mismatched background music was linked not only to irritability and lower productivity, but also to minor acts of workplace sabotage, such as passive-aggressive behaviour or low-level pilfering.
The Hearology article also points to evidence that when staff do like what they are hearing, music can support collaboration.
The studies it cited noted that upbeat tracks have been associated with more cooperative group behaviour, suggesting that carefully designed soundscapes may influence team dynamics as well as individual output.
"Employers often underestimate how much a sound environment contributes to staff wellbeing," said Laurence Coen, an audiologist and co-founder at Hearology, in the article.
"Anyone who's seen the Duettino – Sull'aria from The Marriage of Figaro transfix an entire prison inmate population in The Shawshank Redemption understands the profound impact that music can have on a group of people!"
How to make music work at work
Kathleen Keeler, an assistant professor at Ohio State and co-author of the studies cited by Hearology, noted the challenge faced by employers when it comes to music at work.
"Employers need to try to balance making their music appealing to both customers and employees because that is not a trivial matter. If employees are unhappy, it doesn't do the business any good," Keeler said as quoted in the Hearology article.
But for organisations just dealing with employees in the office, research from Kickresume last year found that some employers are implementing a "headphones-only" policy when it comes to listening to music.
Meanwhile, Schubert also noted that there are various measures for employees to check if playing music can be beneficial for them:
- Match the chosen music to the task by playing rhythm for repetitive work and favouring instrumentals for reading, writing, or anything word heavy.
- Mind the lyrics to avoid the music competing with words in the head.
- Keep the music moderate to prevent it from dominating attention.
Schubert further underscored that it is important for employees to understand whether they are easily stimulated or not, so they can decide how best to listen to music.
Those who are easily overstimulated can choose calmer genres, and those who are easily distracted can save music for "breaks" to restore mood and focus.
