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?

[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 ...

[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.

[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!

[SheSaidHeSaid]

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

[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.

[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)

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[ImsorryTommy]

Three year old thread!

[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.

[JeffVadersMum]

rezzed by spammer??? @toshibasupport

reported

[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.