The majority of employees would like to listen to music while they work, believing it has a positive impact on their mental state and productivity, a study has found.
Charity Mind said 72% of more than 1,100 people it surveyed are in favour of music being played at their workplace.
More than a third (36%) of people think it would improve the work environment, while 32% think would serve as a morale-booster.
Just over a quarter said music would help reduce arguments and stress among co-workers.
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The study also found that 52% of employers already permit staff to listen to music.
Around three-quarters (74%) of those polled listen to their favourite songs while travelling to work, with half of them saying it makes them more positive about the day ahead and 23% saying it relaxes them.
Mind’s chief executive Paul Farmer said: “When you’re tackling a heavy workload, music can be a great motivator and boost productivity. It helps to eliminate distractions around you such as noisy colleagues, machinery or phones so that you can focus on the task in hand.
“While listening to music may not fit in with the culture of every workplace, we urge employers to be flexible in their outlook and create dialogue with their staff about their preferences.”
