Background music enhances employee well-being and boosts sales. But why?

In the business world, background music is often viewed merely as an expense. When budgets and euro amounts are swirling before your eyes, the tendency is to take the path of least resistance. In the worst case, this involves using Spotify without delving into the service's terms of use. Upon closer inspection, it may come as a surprise that Spotify does not permit the playback of music in public spaces, and the Spotify Business service is no longer available.

Fortunately, the playback of music doesn't have to come crashing down here, as there are other high-quality background music services designed for business use. When it comes to pricing, it's important to consider background music as a multi-dimensional factor. The majority of the benefits brought about by music manifest as soft values, such as positive customer experiences and employee well-being. However, this can quickly be overlooked at the decision-making level, as soft values are typically challenging to quantify. How can we justify the profitability of things we can't interpret as numbers?

Music makes (both good and bad) service better

We all have experienced how a cheerful customer service representative can make us smile. While employee well-being is a combination of many factors, the acoustic environment at the workplace surprisingly has a significant impact on it. According to the Background Music at the Workplace study conducted in 2020, employees in the service industry felt that a pleasant music environment added social value to the workplace. Hence, music can shape the atmosphere at work.

It was observed that good background music also increased positive customer interactions, fostering customer loyalty and a sense of community. Music, at its best, can act as a connecting bridge between a company and its regular customers. Employees also felt that customers were more receptive to mistakes when background music was softening negative experiences. The choice of background music can enhance the overall customer experience, whether the initial experience was good or bad.

Is it worth listening to an employee's own voice?

In service industries such as restaurants and stores, employees encounter approximately seven hours of "unrequested music" or background music during their workday, reaching the listener without their request (PAM 2022). The Background Music at the Workplace study revealed that 76% of restaurant industry workers felt that the background music at their workplace was played solely for the customers.

Despite the recognized significant impact on employee well-being, the ability to influence doesn't seem to extend to decisions about workplace background music. There is often a fear that employees will start playing their favorite music, conflicting with the company's brand image. However, the study showed that background music is approached through one's professional identity. Music choices are made automatically through the lens of workplace values and professional identity.

The influence can manifest as staff freedom to adjust the music volume or change playlists within the desired genre. Poor background music, its inadequacy, or incorrect volume can even be perceived as a need for additional compensation for the work performed. According to the research, music-less work environments are often seen as stressful and uncomfortable. When the work environment doesn't motivate, it's no wonder that balance is sought elsewhere, such as through salary increases.

Good music plays from the background music service

When it comes to background music choices, it's important to listen to the voices of employees. However, that's not the only aspect that requires attention; the company's style, customer base, physical space, and even the time of day all influence whether the music choices will be successful. When background music complements the environment, even less familiar music can sound pleasant.

However, the music should not be too generic or unfamiliar, as it can undermine a positive atmosphere. The same effect applies to the repetitiveness of the music. If playlists are too short or the same lists play day after day, the mood is guaranteed to be on the floor instead of the ceiling. Those seeking successful music choices should also steer clear of radio channels. In addition to the repetitiveness of the music, radio waves provide a constant distracting background chatter.

For this reason, it's advisable to seek the assistance of experts when implementing the company's acoustic environment. Through a professional background music service, playlists can be curated to serve the company's customers and staff, without forgetting the business goals. When choosing a background music service, many companies desire familiar features and user-friendliness akin to services like Spotify. Since Spotify no longer offers services for business use, the question arises:

What is an alternative to Spotify Business service?

Feelment® is a domestic background music service that indulges those who appreciate Spotify's features, offering them a little extra. We've listed four concrete examples of why Feelment® is an excellent choice when seeking a service similar to Spotify but designed for businesses.

1. Do you want to play a specific genre in your company's premises?

By clicking Feelment's search field, you can browse playlists curated by experts based on the musical genre—just as seamlessly as in Spotify. To top it off, there's a filtering option based on different types of locations. Whether you're in the hotel or restaurant industry, Feelment is sure to have enjoyable music.

2. Found the perfect playlist on Spotify?

No worries, as you can easily import Spotify playlists into Feelment with a few clicks. This way, you can play your favorite lists in your company's spaces. Unlike Spotify, Feelment allows you to play multiple playlists simultaneously. So, you can mix your own playlists with Feelment's ready-made ones.

3. Did a song you hate blare from the speakers?

Unlike the situation highlighted in the Background Music at the Workplace survey, removing songs from Feelment playlists doesn't require emailing overseas. The app has its own button for hiding songs, ensuring that the disliked song won't play on the playlists anymore.

4. Want to change the playing list or adjust the volume but are too far from the player?

With remote music control, you can adjust background music using your own phone. Adapting the volume to the number of customers enhances the comfort of everyone in the space.

A good background music service can directly impact a company's sales and also the well-being of its employees. Playlists curated by experts create the desired atmosphere, and the user-friendly features support employees' control over the music—respecting the company's style. Well-being brings smiles, which lead to positive customer experiences, ultimately increasing sales. What's even better is that, in addition to employee satisfaction and financial growth, you ensure that music creators receive their deserved compensation. And thus, from soft values, a measure of success emerges.

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Sources

Kilpiö, K & Kytö, M. 2021. Hyvinvointi taustamusiikin kokemuksissa. Palvelualalla toimivien näkemykset työskentelystä musiikin kanssa. Artikkeli. Musiikki-lehti. Luettavissa: https://musiikki.journal.fi/article/view/113247/66825?acceptCookies=1

PAM 2022. Volyymit kaakossa? Uutinen. Luettavissa: https://www.pam.fi/uutiset/volyymit-kaakossa.html