Background music is a common feature in many work environments—playing in restaurants, retail stores, and even some office spaces. Although it may enhance customer experience, employees often have little control over the music they must listen to all day long. New research (Keeler et al., 2025) explores how employees may be impacted by the fit between the music they want and the music that is actually played.
HOW MUSIC IMPACTS EMPLOYEES
Two studies examined how background music at work affects employees. In Study 1, an online experiment, participants first reported their music preferences. They were then randomly assigned to complete a brainstorming task while listening to either fast, loud music or slower, softer music. When the music matched their preferences, participants felt more positive; when it didn’t, they reported feeling less positive and more mentally drained.
The next study surveyed employees three times a day for three weeks. They reported on the music they hoped to hear at work, what they actually heard, and their feelings and behavior. When the music aligned with their needs, employees felt more positive and were more likely to go above and beyond to support the organization. When the music didn’t fit what they needed, they tended to feel less positive and reported more unhelpful or disruptive behavior. These effects were stronger for people who generally have a harder time tuning out distractions.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
When employees are stuck listening to background music that doesn’t meet their needs, it can leave them feeling drained and unhappy. It may even lead to unhelpful or disruptive behavior at work. Workplaces that use background music should consider offering quiet spaces, letting employees take breaks away from the music, or even allowing people to wear high-fidelity earplugs or headphones that allow for close conversations. Further, when music matches with what employees need to hear, there are positive effects, suggesting the benefits of allowing employees to listen to music while working.
Keeler, K. R., Puranik, H., Wang, Y., & Yin, J. (2025). In sync or out of tune? The effects of workplace music misfit on employees. Journal of Applied Psychology, 110(9), 1157–1173.
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