European study finds that workers use music to mask bad office acoustics,
Pop reigns supreme
SXSW - Austin, Texas – 10th March 2015 – Research[1] commissioned by Plantronics (NYSE: PLT) in the UK, France and Germany, has found office noise has an adverse effect on office workers and the quality of their work (UK 89.9%; Germany 96.5%; France 93.5%). Today’s open office environments are causing serious noise challenges for individuals and their colleagues, undermining productivity. To combat disruptive noise an average of nearly 60% of total respondents listen to music through headsets to decrease the impact of background noise in their office environment and be more productive.
Answering emails was the preferred task to do whilst listening to music in the UK (40%) and France (37.6%), while managing data entry (39.8%) and creative thinking (36.7%) were preferred in Germany. Streaming sites, such as Spotify or iTunes, was the number one source of music for Germans (44%) and the French (38.4%), whereas Brits tapped into their own personal music collection (38.9%) first.
The pop genre reigned supreme as the favourite office music type for all three regions (UK 38.6%; France 31.8%; and Germany 41.8%). Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith were the two most popular artist choices in the office overall for the British. French-Guinean rapper Black M is one of the French worker’s most popular artists to listen to at work, along with Bach and Mozart, Rhianna and David Guetta. Despite pop’s popularity as the top genre in Germany, Linkin Park, Metallica and Rammstein are amongst Germany’s favourite artists to listen to in the office.
Plantronics will be sharing it’s findings at SXSW, one of the industry’s top forums for showcasing what’s new and what’s next in film, music and tech in Austin, Texas. Philip Vanhoutte will describe ways to dramatically improve your surroundings with an overview of “soundscaping” and related audio trends, including music, as part of a Smarter Working environment. Joe Burton will examine the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) that expands the conversation beyond ‘things’ for a deeper and more comprehensive look at what real-world problems can be solved by technology. Finally, Cary Bran will present a developers guide to wireless connectivity options and optimal use cases for wearables.
Speaker and Session Overviews
“Soundscape Your Smarter Workplace” with Julian Treasure
Venue: JW Marriott, Room 408-409
Date/Time: Monday, March 16 – 5pm to 6pm
“ASWA (Anonymous Smarter Workaholics Association)” with Markus Albus
Venue: Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon F, 416 AB
Date/Time: Wednesday, March 11 – 12pm to 1pm
IoT: Endless Possibilities, Real World Questions
Venue: JW Marriott, Room 2011-2012
Date/time: Saturday, March 14 – 11am to 12pm
“A Dev Guide: Connectivity and Wearables”
Venue: Austin Convention Center, Ballroom C
Date/Time: Monday, March 16 – 5pm to 5:15pm
About Plantronics
Plantronics is a global leader in audio communications for business and consumers. We have pioneered new trends in audio technology, creating innovative products that allow people to simply communicate. From unified communications to Bluetooth® headsets to gaming solutions, we deliver uncompromising quality, an ideal experience, and extraordinary service. Originally designed for commercial aviation, today Plantronics products are used by every company in the Fortune 100™, as well as by emergency call operators, air traffic controllers, and consumers around the world. www.plantronics.com
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[1] Opinion Matters surveyed organisations employing over 250 employees in the UK, Germany and France (1000 per region) in February 2015.