Reading at work

NaeNae55 · August 2009

Do you allow your employees to read while working? That is, do you allow your employees to listen to books on tape/cd while they are working?

plynnl · August 2009

The are allowed to listen to MP3/Ipods. We don't check to see what they are actually listening to.

cnghr · August 2009

A few of our departments allow their employees to use their MP3 players to listen to music while they're working, so I suppose it wouldn't be too big a stretch to say that some might listen to books on tape while working, also. I guess as long as they could listen to them and still keep the necessary attention on their work, we might have supervisors who would allow it, although that's one thing I'd leave up to the supervisor's discretion rather than having an actual policy or rule about it, simply because it would affect so few employees.

ACU Frank · August 2009

They are banned here. Actual quote from the CEO: "Do you think I want to hear employees walking around here singing all day?"

NaeNae55 · August 2009

Finding the books was a big shock to me, as is the idea that anyone would allow it. But I got some similar responses here so that is why I asked.

I don't understand how anyone can listen to, and follow, a story and still keep their mind on their work (our employees are processing forms electronically). Background music is ok, but I find even some types of music are distracting and I turn it off when that happens. I hope this isn't a sign that I'm getting too old for the times!

Sharon McKnight SPHR · August 2009

[quote=NaeNae55;717490]Finding the books was a big shock to me, as is the idea that anyone would allow it. But I got some similar responses here so that is why I asked.

I don't understand how anyone can listen to, and follow, a story and still keep their mind on their work (our employees are processing forms electronically). Background music is ok, but I find even some types of music are distracting and I turn it off when that happens. I hope this isn't a sign that I'm getting too old for the times![/quote]

Nae,

I agree with you. I can tune out music, but with an audio book I think it would be difficult to keep track of what's happening with the plot and still concentrate on the work at hand. Sort of like trying to read a book or even watch TV while a friend is yammering at you from the other end of the sofa. No fun.

Sharon

Irie · August 2009

We allow radios but no iPods or MP3s, and no ear buds.

dixied · August 2009

We still have music throughout our whole building. Our programmers have asked to have music without words. The words are distracting to them.

ACU Frank · August 2009

We were faced with a similar situation, so we chose music without programmers.

Paul in Cannon Beach · August 2009

Our housekeeping staff listen to their ipods and we haven't dictated to them what they can listen to. I would be very pleased if they were listen to books on tape but my guess is most of them just listen to music. Our only warning to them is "dont stop working for five minutes while you pick the PERFECT song for scrubbing toilets".

In my office, I couldnt imagine being able to listen to a book on tape while I am working.

NaeNae55 · August 2009

It's funny you mentioned housekeeping staff, Paul. When I was discussing this with the supervisor I said I guess I could mop a floor, or do most anything else that was mostly physical and repetitive, and still listen to a book. I could never do something that required me to figure things out while listening to a book though.

The employees in question are processing forms. Of course, they have been at it for years, so perhaps to them it has gotten to the state where they don't have to think about what they are doing. But how would we know, and how can we draw the line between them and others? I am not very popular right now, but I am ok with that. I can still look at myself in the mirror every morning, and that is what counts.

Still Need Coffee · August 2009

We also have staff that perform electronic processing. We allow them to listen to iPods/radios/etc at their desk as long as headphones are used. As other posters have commented, we have no way of controlling what they are listening to, so instead we manage by performance. That is, as long as their performance and error rate are within guidelines, no harm no foul.

If performance starts to slide, then we make suggestions such as, "Perhaps listening to headphones is distracting to you, making your quality rate go down." It's up to the employee whether to take our suggestion or not - if they don't and performance continues to slip, the performance management process counsels them out of the company.

I've found it works best for us to focus on performance, not the actions people are doing.

Paul in Cannon Beach · August 2009

NeedCoffee, do you allow the occassional cubicle air guitar solo?

Still Need Coffee · August 2009

Only if I get to play lead.:D

Paul in Cannon Beach · August 2009

sigh... fine. I'll play air bass guitar. Its more subtle.

ACU Frank · August 2009

Air drums are too much work. And when I hit the roto-toms like only I can, no one seems to appreciate the artistry.

Holly Jones · August 2009

Our office copy machine was recently moved right outside my office, which increases the traffic outside my door as well as the amount of copier chit-chat I overhear. So I actually find it easier to work with headphones on to tune out the ambient noise around me. But I also agree with the others who have posted that I certainly couldn't do my job while listening to an audio book. I usually opt for music, but lately I've been using something called Ambience. Ambience is an iPhone app that is the iPhone equivalent of those nature sounds cds. You can choose a sound you'd like to hear -- beach waves, rainshower, or even just white noise -- and set a length of time you'd like to listen. You can also customize your own sound mixes so, for example, I made one that combines wind chimes, rainfall, and a garden waterfall. They release new sounds every now and then, which you can preview and download for free.

I've found this to be really helpful for drowning out distractions, but I also have to admit that sometimes it works too well and I don't notice when people actually walk in my office. :P

plynnl · August 2009

I would be afraid that if I listened to breaking waves, waterfalls and birds chirping that I would be asleep in seconds and it wouldn't matter what was going on outside my office.

Paul in Cannon Beach · August 2009

Too many waterfalls and bubbling brooks and I would be headed to the bathroom every twenty minutes. Is that too much information?

NaeNae55 · August 2009

[SIZE="7"]YES![/SIZE]

But we love you anyway.

Paul in Cannon Beach · August 2009

So, you shut down these form processors from listening to books on tape? Or listening to anything?

NaeNae55 · August 2009

Books. Music is fine, as long as it is not loud enough to disturb others.

Paul in Cannon Beach · August 2009

Hmmm... so are you occassionally ripping the headphones from their ears to make sure they are listening to music and not a short story by Flannery O' Conner?

NaeNae55 · August 2009

I doubt if we will have to do that. We will no longer see library tapes on desks or in open storage areas, and employees will be unlikely to turn off what they are listening to when we stop to ask a question. Fortunatelly, for the most part our employees are mature and willing to follow policy.

BTW, we were sure dumb. Several of us noticed the library tapes, but all assumed they were here for different reasons. It just seemed too unrealistic that anyone would try to actually listen to a book while working. Gullible, huh?

Reading at work

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