‘Musical air conditioning’ could be an effective way to cool down colleagues who are feeling the heat – both literally and figuratively.
From colleagues’ annual leave to childcare issues and unpredictable temperatures, the month of August1 is heralded as one of the peak times of the year for resignations where stress levels can be running high as summer comes to a close.
Marianne Rizkallah, music therapist for music licensing company PPL PRS, reveals an unusual method that could help cool down your colleagues’ moods during this difficult period.
According to Marianne, playing music specifically at 60-70BPM (beats per minute) could be the ‘saving grace’ when it comes to reducing workplace tension.
“When trying to relieve some of the stress in the workplace during the summer, music at a slower tempo can have a positive mental and physiological effect. I like to call this method ‘musical air-conditioning’ because music can have a genuine cooling effect on the nervous system by reducing cortisol.
“When you’re in a highly stressed state, your body will respond physiologically and psychologically with brain fog, sweating and increased heart rate, for example – which can impact your wellbeing and productivity during the workday.
“It has been shown that listening to music at 60-70 BPM can reduce these symptoms2 and return your body back to a relaxed state as your heart rate ‘syncs’ to the slower tempo.”
What is the right music to play in the workplace?
With colleagues likely having varying music tastes, the music therapist advises that it’s best to gauge your colleagues’ tension levels first before you press play on your preferred playlist.
She says: “Rarely is there one genre that works for everyone when wanting to feel more relaxed. Choosing music that people enjoy and engage with is far more effective than trying to force enjoyment of one particular genre.”
“If the stress and tension in the warehouse is particularly high, a sudden change in music can invade the mood of the area, with the over-stimulation potentially worsening the stressed atmosphere. A gradual transition into music with a slower tempo is a better method.
“Occasionally allowing input from everyone, or just getting updated opinion of the music playing is a great way to ensure the positive, stress-reducing effects are being felt across the workspace.”
Burnout at work
The advice comes after a survey3 by PPL PRS with working Brits about their burnout experience revealed that 37% of workers turn to music to help them cope with its effects.
The research also revealed that the main contributors to feeling burnt out at work were a heavy workload (53%), long working hours (46%), unrealistic expectations (34%), lack of recognition (30%) and unfair pressure from leadership (29%).
Those who were surveyed said that burnout impacted their professional life with feelings of frustration (45%), lack of motivation (42%) and feeling undervalued (37%).
Burnout also impacted their personal lives, as respondents said it made them feel anxious (45%) and unable to relax (45%), while more than a third (36%) suffered from headaches as a result.
If you want to implement music in your workplace, then you will probably need TheMusicLicence. Simply call one of our team on 0800 015 5945 for more information or visit www.pplprs.co.uk.
References:
1. www.ambitionspersonnel.com/blog/ 2023/08/startups-your-employees-are-most-likely-to-quit-this-month
2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/ PMC3734071/
3. A survey commissioned by PPL PRS of 2000 Brits in February 2025.
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