Music in the Work Place

DavidGo
DavidGo Registered Posts: 1 New contributor 🐸
I am interested to hear from anyone regarding having to work with background music. I work in a shared office of 6 and have a local private radio station playing in the background all day. I have not been in this position very long and my job is very complicated and requires complete concentration. I have complained about the noise, have switched the radion off, but unfortunately have been overruled by the MD and been told that the radio must stay on as it helps to keep private cnversations private.
Is this normal for a modern office?
Does anyone have any practical advice?
What opions do you have on background music?

Comments

  • Bluewednesday
    Bluewednesday Registered Posts: 1,624 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    My boss doesn't like it if we have background music on, so we don't!

    Why don't you try ear plugs for when you are concentrating on something, would that help?
  • blobbyh
    blobbyh Registered Posts: 2,415 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    We recently bought a radio for our accounts office and I believe it enhances the atmosphere. I think as long as you keep the volume at an ambient level, have an inoffensive station on such as radio 2 where there's an equal mix of music, stimulating chat and no annoying commercials, it's okay. An overly quiet office where you can cut the atmosphere with a knife can be equally unwelcome.

    You say you're new in your office working with others and need quiet to concentrate but are you making presumptions the others require lesser focus to do their jobs? Are you the senior in the office as I think you'll need to tread carefully if you're not? As the MD has overruled you, you'll just have to accept it, ask to be moved elsewhere (which they probably won't have to comply with, I'm afraid) or leave.
  • CJC
    CJC Registered Posts: 1,657 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    I do hope all of these businesses with music in their offices have a music licence from the PRS.
  • AK002
    AK002 Registered Posts: 2,492 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    We've recently had someone try and chase us for money for a music licence when we don't even play music!
  • Claire321
    Claire321 Registered Posts: 209 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    We had someone phone and chase us because we play music whilst calls are on hold - and my company has actually paid for a licence!
  • CJC
    CJC Registered Posts: 1,657 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    AK002 wrote: »
    We've recently had someone try and chase us for money for a music licence when we don't even play music!

    I represent the Chartered Association of Song Handlers, in order to play music where anyone might hear it you will need a license from us. Please make out a cheque for £1000 to C.A.S.H. and send it to me or you will be prosecuted and found very guilty indeed.
  • blobbyh
    blobbyh Registered Posts: 2,415 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    If not paying money to the PRS means I no longer have to hear Robbie Williams' latest drivel, I'm happy to do a stretch being gang raped in the clink.
  • CJC
    CJC Registered Posts: 1,657 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    blobbyh wrote: »
    If not paying money to the PRS means I no longer have to hear Robbie Williams' latest drivel, I'm happy to do a stretch being gang raped in the clink.

    Maybe earplugs would be a better bet.
  • Rinske
    Rinske Registered Posts: 2,453 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    We got the radio on all the time, southcoast radio (which is very boring, but the only station that doesn't keep loosing it signal in our area). Usually we get an annual invoice from the PRS for all our showrooms and the office, it's quite expensive! But PRS are trying to change the charge depending on office/ shop space, which would make it a lot more expensive for most companies, so I hope they don't succeed.

    A couple of months ago we had an accountant joining, who didn't like our radio station and he just kept his mp3 player on all day, which you could also consider.

    If we don't have the radio on, you could hear a pin fall and that's getting on everyones nerves as well, so I found it's better to have some crappy radio background than nothing.
  • JaffasGirl
    JaffasGirl Registered Posts: 387 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    Why is it they charge for you to be able to listen to the radio?

    With stations such as BBC we already pay for it through the tv licence fee..so why do you have to pay again when listening in an office?

    do taxi drivers have to pay? They always have the radio on when customers get in the car.
  • Rinske
    Rinske Registered Posts: 2,453 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    You pay the TV licence for at home, but at your workplace, it's considered playing music in a public area, which is different from the TV licence.

    It's a stupid arrangement, but basically the artists (more likely the record companies) are getting paid again for people listening to the music.
  • JaffasGirl
    JaffasGirl Registered Posts: 387 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    Well then why do I not have to pay a fee for listening to it in my car?

    It really annoys me as it's just a money spinner. Can't the artists/record companies see it as free advertising? I've heard songs in shops and actually gone and bought them. They get paid twice!
  • jewels.p
    jewels.p Registered Posts: 1,774 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    CJC wrote: »
    I do hope all of these businesses with music in their offices have a music licence from the PRS.

    I was just gonna say this. We had a radio in our front office and one day a lady turned up at the door asking if we had a PRS License (we didnt) She said to the girl in reception that we need one but instead I just told her to switch off the radio and that was that. Apparently it is if the public can hear it you need a license.
  • taskey
    taskey Registered Posts: 1,800 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    i have a small radio on in our office, there are only the 2 of us. i have it on as my boss is a very heavy breather and a disgusting eater. he moans constantly that it is on, but i keep it on as i find the noises he makes are yak!!

    i dont have it on loud, just loud enough to hear the news when it is on, one song tends to blend into another (our one and only station is very amateur).

    so my choice is radio or minging eating and breathing habits - RADIO EVERY TIME lol

    Tracy
  • blobbyh
    blobbyh Registered Posts: 2,415 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    Personally, I couldn't give two hoots about the PRS. I used to constantly ignore them at the window place and when they called regarding a visit, I just said no or shredded thjeir letters. I'm guessing they're like many other jobsworth organisations in that if you show a strong stance they'll leave you alone and happy to just prey on the weaker ones who give in and fund them.

    Besides, my perverse philosophy is that by not giving money to Amy Whingehouse or Robbie I'm saving them from themselves. As for the rest of 'em, well exactly how hard is it to be a "full time musician"? Try working a fifty-sixty hour fricking week like everyone else for next to nothing. Pah, little more than a well paid hobby.
  • AK002
    AK002 Registered Posts: 2,492 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    Our credit controller got told he'd get locked up for 12 months if he didn't pay LOL!

    He got really angry then...
  • speegs
    speegs Registered Posts: 854 Epic contributor 🐘
    I work for a company who manufacture DAB and wifi radios so we also have a radio in the office but it is not on loud so it does not really disturb anyone. However, when it is month end or we are particularly busy we turn it off without incident.

    Speegs
  • Frankie1976
    Frankie1976 Registered Posts: 33 Regular contributor ⭐
    Claire321 wrote: »
    We had someone phone and chase us because we play music whilst calls are on hold - and my company has actually paid for a licence!

    Hi,

    Unfortunately if you play any kind of music in the workplace, whether it be a radio or music down a phone line, a licence is payable to the PRS. The PRS were not so bad, but in recent years they have really clamped down.

    A factor in this is due the amount of revenue recording artists have lost as a result of illegal downloading, so the PRS have gotten a bit tougher on music played on private property. Believe it or not, but even taxi drivers need a licence to have the radio on when taking a fare.

    Frankie
  • jewels.p
    jewels.p Registered Posts: 1,774 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    blobbyh wrote: »
    Personally, I couldn't give two hoots about the PRS. I used to constantly ignore them at the window place and when they called regarding a visit, I just said no or shredded thjeir letters. I'm guessing they're like many other jobsworth organisations in that if you show a strong stance they'll leave you alone and happy to just prey on the weaker ones who give in and fund them.

    Besides, my perverse philosophy is that by not giving money to Amy Whingehouse or Robbie I'm saving them from themselves. As for the rest of 'em, well exactly how hard is it to be a "full time musician"? Try working a fifty-sixty hour fricking week like everyone else for next to nothing. Pah, little more than a well paid hobby.

    I know some of your posts are serious Blobby but I just think you are so funny even when you are being serious (not all the time though). I have a vision that you are really scary in real life!
  • anniem
    anniem Registered Posts: 1,326 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    jewels.p wrote: »
    I know some of your posts are serious Blobby but I just think you are so funny even when you are being serious (not all the time though). I have a vision that you are really scary in real life!

    Perhaps he looks a bit like David Bellamy, peering out from beneath undergrowth ..... or Telly Savalas (Kojak) with a lollipop in his mouth???????

    Mind you, Grim Reaper as an avatar speaks volumes !!!!!!! :001_tt2:
    FMAAT - AAT Licensed Member in Practice - Pewsey, Wiltshire
  • Aaron C Rescue
    Aaron C Rescue Registered Posts: 76 Regular contributor ⭐
    I love music in the work place. I'm inclined to believe that it makes people more productive, in my experience offices with music have had a lot less 'chat' going on.

    If you cannot concentrate whilst it is on, then you should try not to focus on the fact that music is on as it will only wind you up all the more. (if you know what I mean)
    Rinske wrote: »
    You pay the TV licence for at home, but at your workplace, it's considered playing music in a public area, which is different from the TV licence.


    It's a stupid arrangement, but basically the artists (more likely the record companies) are getting paid again for people listening to the music.

    Publishers receive the PRS money, and they hand it out to the songwriters, that's the songwriters - not the performers. The PRS are a not for profit company who operate on a 12% overhead fee.

    The record companies get PPL. PPl is paid as they have the 'rights' to that particular recording - not the song.

    Last year Lady GAGA received 1 million plays on Spotify and they paid her $167 from them.
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