to think that people should not wear headphones and listen to music in the office

[Jewels234]

I work in a very large open plan office, where we sit in individual teams.

More and more people are putting in headphones and listening to music all day...and it's driving me insane! You can hear the 'tsk tsk tsk' noise of their music (I really don't want to be the grumpy one who asks them to turn it down). And if you need to ask a question you look like a complete idiot repeating their name until they realise they are being spoken to.

I know I can't change it...and probably am BU, but it feels unprofessional and unsociable. Also, hearing faint music constantly is so irritating. I can't beat them...so do I join them?

[RinonaWyder]

YABU. Listening to music was banned at my work and none of us were happy about it. I didn't use my earphones all the time, but could never hear anyone else's music. If we needed to get anyone's attention, a tap on the shoulder was all it took.

[JeffVadersMum]

rezzed by spammer??? @toshibasupport

reported

[LuxuryWoman2017]

I find it really difficult to concentrate in silence, my mind wanders so have always listened to the radio whilst working.
It is very antisocial though to have music loud enough others can hear it.

[ImsorryTommy]

Three year old thread!

[NicoleC1990]

Completely agree this drives me mad. It's not the noise that bothers me, it's that whenever I ask a colleague a question I end up having to ask them three times so they can hear me over their music (or at the very least ask them twice while they take their bloody headphones out). It's rude and anti-social imo.

[spidey66]

We share an office with another team who are incredibly loud. If I don't have music on I find it hard to concentrate on writing reports and letters.

The only (minor) drawback is if my phone goes, but a quick nudge from my neighbour is enough.

[StormTreader]

I have Misophonia, if I couldnt listen to music to drown out the sounds of people jingling keys/change, clicking pens while they think or crunching crisps loudly, I would have stapled someone to death by now.

I use proper in-ear noise-cancelling headphones, with good headphones a comfortable music volume is inaudible to other people.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

As a lawyer I always had background music when studying and when working.

My husband is a Corporate Partner in a noisy open plan office and many lawyers there use headphones (but they are obviously very posh, expensive ones because they don't give a tinny tsk tsk off when playing music!) There is a mix of sound blocking and music playing headphones used in his firm.

[JeffVadersMum]

Headphones piping in your choice of music is you listening to your music on the time I'm paying you to do a job.


i'll be breathing in the time you are paying me to do a job, is that ok with you?
(thats there in a list of ridiculous things i've read on the internet)

[MJDinner]

I need headphones to actually be able to concentrate at work, to drown out as hoc Meetings near my desk, chit chat about the weekend, the kettle and tea making clinks, people eating food at the kitchen area.... I ensure it's at a reasonable volume but seriously, whoever designed open plan offices and pretended they make employees productive didn't do a very comprehensive job.

It's a long running known issue that in my office it's difficult to concentrate due to the layout and noise levels esp if your desk is near facilities like me (at least I'm not near the loos, it could be worse).

I'd seriously consider moving employment if they were banned.
Or at least wait around to hear how they'd fix the office layout/noise at the same time.

[SheSaidHeSaid]

Headphones and music are banned in my office as its seen as unprofessional.

[Vintagejazz]

I have no problem with people listening to music with headphones. I used to work in a room where one of the girls just listened to music on her speakers. She got highly indignant when I asked for it to be switched off and very grudgingly agreed to turn it down. Mind you, she was also one of those people who listens to all her phone messages on speaker, has her mobile set to a very loud ringing tone and speaks very loudly herself on the phone.
I eventually got moved to a different room!

[OfaFrenchMind]

YABU.
I work in an open space with lovely but sometimes loud people. Headphones are necessary! Plus The music can really get me going when working on models and templates. Give me a rhythm and a headspace to completely focus. If somebody wants to talk to me, they can touch my shoulder or send me a quick internal msn message.

[PenelopeLane]

My money's on the guy who "didn't hear the alarm" just thinking it was a drill and not wanting to get up from his desk ...

[OddFodd]

Really? Someone couldn't hear your fire alarm because their music was so loud? Really?

I agree with pp - you need to review your procedures.

[GnomeDePlume]

Exactly Petula, our fire wardens are not expected to amble out, chatting, with everyone else.

I think that you should be reviewing your fire policy WeAllHaveWings. It is irrelevant that the person had on headphones. He could just as easily have been hard of hearing. Your office's poor approach to fire alarms is the problem.

[PetulaGordino]

do your fire wardens not sweep after? ours check the loos etc and leave last.

[WeAllHaveWings]

Fire alarm went off, everyone gets up and starts walking out, chatting as you do (when there's no visible flames) didn't notice this guy wasn't coming as he's around a pillar a bit from us and we weren't paying attention. Guy who had earphones in isnt part of our team, thought we were all getting up to go to a meeting. Fire alarm is a standard siren alarm.

Fire wardens did role call outside and it was then noticed someone was missing.

randall "Bit heavy-handed to throw the baby out with the bath water." yeah - It would ONLY be one person who died if it had been a real fire.

[OddFodd]

Obviously there is music playing through the headphones - Bach usually from what I can hear. It's very quiet though and he can hear you talk to him while it plays

[OddFodd]

I forgot to mention this earlier - DS has sensory processing disorder and dyspraxia and one of the therapies his occupational therapist uses with him is wearing headphones while he concentrates - particularly on things he finds especially difficult. It's a very well-tested theory.

Many of us seek sensory input to help us concentrate - it's why we doodle, jiggle a leg or click a pen in meetings. That sensory input helps us concentrate on what we're listening to. Obviously, that doesn't apply to everyone but to dismiss it as having fun on the company's time is really quite an ignorant attitude I'm afraid.

[PenelopeLane]

I agree with Star that ear plugs are far worse than headphones!

[IAmNotDarling]

I work in a very highly technical professional job where I have to concentrate in order to process what I'm doing. I sit surrounded by people who need to talk to do their jobs.

I'm in an open plan office with no means of escape. Low music helps me tune out of what is going on around me.

I'm happy, my work is happy and the people around me don't have to worry about disturbing me. Solution all around.

For those of you who think this is ridiculous - music had been shown to increase concentration levels.

If I work with any of you I'm the cheerful one in the corner - say my name and I'll take out my earphones and talk to you.

[LoveBeingInTheSun]

I now work in an office where some do this, many because of the noise distraction of others. I have a couple of times and it does help. Even done it with the same song on repeat

[GnomeDePlume]

The problem with the fire alarm is that the fire warden for the office didnt notice that someone was still sat at their desk.

Unless of course the management were using this as an excuse for banning headphones. Of course management wouldnt pull a stunt like that would they?