Should You Wear Headphones at Work?

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  1

  mophead_1

  08/02/07 | Report as spam

  Headphones? Rude?

  The answer depends on the headphone 'ethic'. Biggest pet peave? Those who feel the need to slip into 'song' while listening to their tunes, oblivious to the fact that they are now annoying everyone within earshot!! Random bursts of partial melodies are equally taboo.

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  2

  n0prob

  08/02/07 | Report as spam

  They are only rude if other can hear it

  Just make sure you test the volume levels to find one that your coworkers cannot hear. Some headphones are better than others at keeping the annoying high pitched sounds from traveling outside your own ears..
  
  I tell people not to worry, if they need me.. Interrupt me!

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  lnballew

  08/02/07 | Report as spam

  should you wear headphones at work

  I wear headphones. They are the heavy-duty white-noise headphones that also allow me to listen to music. I work in a cube that sits along a busy outside isle. The traffic is high and the noise is higher. I can tune out some of the racket with concentration, but when I'm writing (or trying to write), under deadline, etc., the 'phones are a lifesaver. People in my area know that I wear them and I don't perceive that I'm considered "rude." They know that if they want my attention, they tap on my cube wall.

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  jroundy

  08/02/07 | Report as spam

  Are wearing earphones at work rude?

  I personally don't believe so. They certainly can't be any ruder then the person that uses their speakerphone for a conference call and they sit at an open air cubicle. It's not any ruder then the person that comes into your office and sits down for an unscheduled 30 min convo and never once asked if you were busy or if this is a good time. My favorite are the conversations held directly outside of your office. I have heard more about my co-workers sports opinions, opinions of each other, and family matters then I care to. I do understand that perception is important and many executives do feel they are inappropriate for the workplace.

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  I_Borg

  02/29/08 | Report as spam

  I couldn't have said it better!

  I have had this conversation with my co-workers many times. I have even taken to stopping work and jumping into the conversations outside of my cube in an effort to teach my co-workers not to have any conversations outside my cube that they don't want me to participate in. This may be rude but it is extremely effective, just be sure that they are not management!

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  JR Fent

  08/02/07 | Report as spam

  HEadphones - No worries Mate! I didn't want you to hear me anyway!

  I'm torn on this one. If someone is wearing headphones all the time, I'd wonder about 2 things: 1) are they purposely disconnecting from the team. or 2) are they less productive because they are not paying full attention to what they are working on.
  
  On the other side - I used to share an office 14'x14' with a co-worker that was always on her cell phone making personal 'soap opera' calls with her sister, mom, boyfriend, ex-husband, and nieces. She drove me nuts and when I told her to forgo the personal calls - I was the evil, mean co-worker. I then got a double ear headset for my phone so that I could make candidate calls without hearing her in the background. This worked - but when I was off the phone - I was still hearing her jabbering all day. An iPod and headphones would have helped.
  
  JR Fent "The Pirate"
  IT Recruiter
  jrfent.com

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  writersblock

  08/02/07 | Report as spam

  Just a thought...

  I thing head phones are almost essential in open plan offices. Without that bit of isolation, it is too easy to get distracted. And really, does it matter if they are listening to music or a pod cast? Probably far better than listening to office gossip or what their desk colleague had for dinner last night.

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  Acerebel

  08/02/07 | Report as spam

  Concentration and productivity

  I regard headphones as essential equipment at work. The level of noise in modern offices is almost assaultive. It's frankly impossible to concentrate. I believe someone has estimated that we endure up to 60 interruptions a day, and take 10 minutes to get back to our original focus. If you add in all the interruptions to thought from people telling jokes, calling out "do you wanna a coffee?", intrusive mobiles and so on, I suspect the interruption rate is higher than researched.
  
  The value of headphones does lie, however, in the material being piped through them. Like plants, we truly do respond better to classical than to Rap.
  
  So, when you see me under the 'phones, rather than assuming slacking or disinterest, consider instead my mood and ability to concentrate as I listen to quiet soothing music that is stimulating my brain while lulling anxiety, and keeping the interruptions and assault to a minimum. Headphones should be viewed as productivity improvers.

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  BizHacksRick

  08/05/07 | Report as spam

  Absolutely!

  As long as your employer allows it, I don't see a problem. To me it's no more "rude" than talking on the phone or closing your office door (if you have one, that is . Sitting in a whisper-quiet office all day is not my idea of fun. I need my tunes!