How to Celebrate with Music in the Workplace

Let’s get down to business but have a little fun while we’re at it. When organizations forget that joy and laughter can be had in the workplace, they’re forgetting that businesses are made up of people, and people don’t function like computers – completing a task and moving on to the next without a “great job,” high-five, or perhaps even a little dance party celebration. Keeping the human element at the forefront of company culture reminds us that fun at work is essential to productivity, collaboration and innovation. In fact, when analyzing the criteria and responses that Great Places to Work uses to build their 100 Best Places to Work For annual list, it’s revealed that 81%  of employees at “great” companies said their work environment was” fun.” So, a fun workplace really is a great workplace.

Breaking it down further, there are many ideas of what “fun” at work looks like. But rather than letting the notion of creating an enjoyable workspace sit idle as a theory, bring it to life by focusing on one research-backed popular technique to proactively cultivate a workplace culture where laughter and camaraderie flow – we’re talking about music.

Tips to turn up the volume at work:

Take Dance Party Breaks to Boost Productivity

There’s no better way to shake off the stress of the day or reset your mind than to do a little dance in the middle of the workday. While old-school thinking might say that this is a break in productivity, today’s workforce declares that this type of fun movement sparks quite the opposite – collaboration, creativity and increased productivity. That’s right, playing music and moving to the beat is spinning through workplaces across the nation. First of all, these ‘microbreaks’ combat sedentary behavior and allow the brain to recharge, as excessive focus fatigues the brain, draining energy, lowering self-control and making it difficult to collaborate. Research shows that the brain is at optimum performance when it switches between focused and unfocused, sparking more creativity and decision-making. Additionally, those sitting at a desk all day need the reminder to get up and move, since too much sitting for long periods of time is linked to a list of health concerns . Turn up the music and invite short spurts of dancing to elevate results and create happy teams.

Celebrate Diversity with Cultural Tunes

Diversity in the workplace is crucial. Not only is DE&I the right thing to do, but studies show that diverse workplaces are productive workplaces. Bringing together a group of people who share the same viewpoints will not generate innovative ideas, whereas collaborating with individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences will. Many employers have implemented D&I initiatives through updated values and mission statements, celebrating diverse holidays and conducting training and development programs. These are all commendable and necessary steps, but there is also a way to enhance cultural celebrations through shared music. For instance, National Hispanic Heritage Month can become a shared workplace experience through Latin music, 1950s songs may speak to a certain generation in the office while sparking conversations between multiple generations, and country songs could be the tunes that make Southerners feel right at home. Bringing diversity into the work environment can be simultaneously direct, subtle and a whole lot of fun.

Motivate That Pitch with the Right Beat

Have you wondered what strategy could make your next business pitch a little more, well – on pitch? You’ve prepared the materials, rehearsed the presentation, but there’s just something missing that you can’t quite put your finger on. That “something” is called energy. The best prepared presentations can fall flat without the right boost just before stepping onto the presentation stage (or screen) because passion and personality take a little nudging to come alive under sometimes high pressure situations. Music is a great motivator. It reduces mental fatigue, increases stimulation (there is a connection between auditory neurons and motor neurons) and it acts as a distraction to relieve stress, not to mention certain songs can be oh-so-empowering. This combination is the perfect vibe check to send employees into a winning scenario. 

The days of all work and no play are in the past – and in fact, they’re less productive. Today, employees are demanding fresh environments where innovation and creativity are honed through unique strategies, such as shared music. At TouchTunes, we help workplaces amplify cultures of celebration and collaboration through personalized TouchTunes jukeboxes with hundreds of playlists and thousands of artists to set the scene for a dance party break, diversity celebration or stellar pitch meeting. Check out our TouchTunes Unlimited subscription for workplaces today>