Are you the type to lock in to a project listening to classical music or dance your way through creating a presentation with some funky house? Werk explored whether music actually does increase productivity so you don’t have to.

78% of people who listen to music whilst working said it makes them more productive. 

Tracy Brower PhD, a sociologist who has authored research on the secrets to happiness in the workplace, told Werk how, why and what music affects our productivity.

How does music affect productivity?

Music drives motivation through bass, tone, and familiarity. Listening to music with more bass can make you feel powerful. Mindlab’s experiment found that dance music led to the highest accuracy and fastest performance in office tasks.

Upbeat music can give you extra energy and keep negative thoughts away, while low-tone music can negatively affect your mood.

Familiar music can induce happy feelings by producing oxytocin. When the whole team listens to familiar songs, it can strengthen team bonds and increase morale and overall improve the bond of the team. 

Perfecting music in the office environment

When listening to music as a team, it’s vital to choose a playlist that isn’t divisive. Rock and hip-hop are the best genres, statistically enjoyed by the largest number of people. Avoid rap or country unless you’re sure of your team’s music taste, as these niche genres can divide the team and deplete morale.

For tasks requiring attention to detail, nonverbal music is most effective. Studies show that awareness of just 20% of spoken words around you can dramatically decrease focus, whether from conversations or music.

For office work that doesn’t require intense focus and is more monotonous and repetitive, music with words may be better. Familiar music you love can make mind-numbing tasks more bearable and help you complete them faster.

The younger generation generally values music in the workplace, while the older generation finds it more distracting. This difference may stem from the greater accessibility of music now compared to when the older generation was growing up.

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Creating the perfect work playlist step-by-step:

1. Start by adding songs that you love, songs you know boost your mood and are tried and tested, you never skip them when they come on
2. Try to add some songs you’ve been dying to listen to, artists you’ve been recommended or an album that’s on the ‘to listen’ list
3. Add songs that have happy memories attached to them, a song that you listened to on that fabulous girls holiday or your 21st birthday

I had a go creating my own, give it a listen: