Employee motivation: Expert claims playing music can improve productivity and wellbeing

Date: 01/03/2011

Playing music in the workplace can improve employee motivation and wellbeing, it has been claimed.

According to Francis McGinty from the International Stress Management Association UK, music can also increase productivity and performance among a workforce.

The reason for this, he says, is because it makes staff feel positive.

"Some music sets up sound vibrations in the brain that promotes the release of the feel-good neuro-chemicals such as dopamine that causes this effect," Mr McGinty said.

"Also on a subconscious level, familiar music can act as a trigger to past experiences and this also promotes the brain to relax as it remembers pleasant experiences."

Mr McGinty added that helping staff to understand the causes of stress and how to tackle this will result in a healthy and efficient workforce.

"Both are very desirable outcomes in today's economic climate," he concluded.

This is important advice for businesses, as recently the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development warned that reducing focus on staff motivation could be 'fatal' in the current economic climate.

Posted by Jo Morgan

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