Research: What Message Are Your Headphones Sending Your Coworkers?SKIP TO CONTENTHarvard Business Review LogoHarvard Business Review LogoOffice politics|Research: What Message Are Your Headphones Sending Your Coworkers?SubscribeSign InLatestMagazineTopicsPodcastsStoreReading ListsData & VisualsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutiveSearch hbr.orgSubscribeLatestPodcastsThe MagazineStoreWebinarsNewslettersAll TopicsReading ListsData & VisualsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutiveMy LibraryAccount SettingsSign InExplore HBRLatestThe MagazinePodcastsStoreWebinarsNewslettersPopular TopicsManaging YourselfLeadershipStrategyManaging TeamsGenderInnovationWork-life BalanceAll TopicsFor SubscribersReading ListsData & VisualsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutiveSubscribeMy AccountMy LibraryTopic FeedsOrdersAccount SettingsEmail PreferencesSign InHarvard Business Review LogoOffice politicsResearch: What Message Are Your Headphones Sending Your Coworkers? by Oguz Gencay, Michael Schaerer and Trevor A. FoulkMay 26, 2026HBR Staff; DBenitostock/Anzela Ksenofontova/Getty ImagesPostPostShareSavePrintSummary.   Leer en españolLer em portuguêsPostPostShareSavePrintWalk into almost any modern office, and you will see it: earbuds in, playlists on, and heads down. For many employees, music is an essential tool for focusing, mood regulation, and stamina. For most managers, it is a non-issue as long as performance stays strong. If it helps people concentrate, let them listen to music. At worst, it is a harmless preference, such as drinking coffee or using a standing desk.Oguz Gencay is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Bilkent University.Michael Schaerer is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resources at Singapore Management University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business.Trevor A. Foulk is an Associate Professor at the Warrington College of Business Administration at the University of Florida. He explores topics including organizational mistreatment, hierarchical dynamics, and employee well-being.PostPostShareSavePrintRead more on Office politics or related topics Work environments, Managing yourself and Leadership and managing peoplePartner CenterStart my subscription!Explore HBRThe LatestAll TopicsMagazine ArchiveReading ListsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutivePodcastsWebinarsData & VisualsMy LibraryNewslettersHBR PressHBR StoreArticle ReprintsBooksCasesCollectionsMagazine IssuesHBR Guide SeriesHBR 20-Minute ManagersHBR Emotional Intelligence SeriesHBR Must ReadsToolsAbout HBRContact UsAdvertise with UsInformation for Booksellers/RetailersMastheadGlobal EditionsMedia InquiriesGuidelines for AuthorsHBR Analytic ServicesCopyright PermissionsAccessibilityDigital AccessibilityManage My AccountMy LibraryTopic FeedsOrdersAccount SettingsEmail PreferencesHelp CenterContact Customer ServiceExplore HBRThe LatestAll TopicsMagazine ArchiveReading ListsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutivePodcastsWebinarsData & VisualsMy LibraryNewslettersHBR PressHBR StoreArticle ReprintsBooksCasesCollectionsMagazine IssuesHBR Guide SeriesHBR 20-Minute ManagersHBR Emotional Intelligence SeriesHBR Must ReadsToolsAbout HBRContact UsAdvertise with UsInformation for Booksellers/RetailersMastheadGlobal EditionsMedia InquiriesGuidelines for AuthorsHBR Analytic ServicesCopyright PermissionsAccessibilityDigital AccessibilityManage My AccountMy LibraryTopic FeedsOrdersAccount SettingsEmail PreferencesHelp CenterContact Customer ServiceFollow HBRFacebookX Corp.LinkedInInstagramYour NewsreaderHarvard Business Review LogoAbout UsCareersPrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCopyright InformationTrademark PolicyTerms of UseHarvard Business Publishing:Higher EducationCorporate LearningHarvard Business ReviewHarvard Business SchoolCopyright ©2026 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.

In the modern office setting, the presence of employees wearing headphones, listening to music, and focusing inward represents a visible trend. For many employees, music functions as a necessary instrument to achieve concentration, regulate mood, and maintain stamina during work. However, the perspective of management often differs; for most managers, this personal practice is not an issue provided that overall performance remains strong. The underlying principle suggested by the authors is to allow employees to utilize music if it demonstrably aids in concentration. If this practice aids in concentration, it is permissible, and at minimum, it can be viewed as a harmless personal preference, similar to using a standing desk or drinking coffee. This observation touches upon the dynamic between individual workspace preferences and organizational expectations regarding productivity and environment.