About Workplace Mental Health
Someone asked me recently whether music could play a role in workplace mental health. My first reaction was that it’s an interesting idea. My second was that it’s actually more interesting than I initially gave it credit for.
We all know, instinctively, that music does something to us. It shifts our mood. It helps us concentrate. It takes us back to a moment in time with more precision than almost anything else. Most of us have used music — consciously or unconsciously — to get through a difficult day, to calm down after a stressful meeting, or simply to feel a bit more like ourselves.
But could we be more deliberate about that? And does it have any place in how we think about wellbeing at work?
What the evidence tells us
The research on music and mental health is more robust than you might think. Listening to music has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, lower anxiety, and improve mood. There’s good evidence for its use in clinical settings — music therapy is an established intervention for depression, trauma, and stress-related conditions.
At a neurological level, music engages multiple brain systems simultaneously: emotion, memory, motor function, reward. It’s one of the few activities that does this so broadly. That’s why a particular song can make you feel energised, reflective, or emotional — sometimes all at once.
The question for workplaces isn’t whether music affects how people feel. It clearly does. The question is whether we can harness that in a way that’s practical and inclusive.
The challenge of personal preference
Here’s where it gets interesting — and a bit complicated. Music is deeply personal. What calms one person down might set another person’s teeth on edge. I like house music. Others might prefer classical, or grime, or country, or silence. There’s no universal playlist for wellbeing.
This matters because any workplace approach to music needs to respect that diversity of preference. Playing a generic “relaxing” playlist over the office speakers isn’t the answer — and frankly, it’s more likely to irritate people than help them.
But that doesn’t mean the idea is dead. It just means we need to think about it differently.
Where music could fit into workplace wellbeing
Rather than prescribing what people should listen to, workplaces could think about music as part of a broader approach to creating environments that support mental health.
Give people permission to use it. In many workplaces, wearing headphones is frowned upon or seen as anti-social. But for some people, being able to listen to music while working is a genuine coping strategy — it helps with focus, blocks out distracting noise, and regulates mood. Allowing that, where it’s safe and practical to do so, is a simple, cost-free intervention.
Use it in transition moments. The evidence on music and stress recovery is particularly strong around transitions — the commute home, the break between shifts, the wind-down after a high-pressure period. Encouraging people to use music intentionally during these moments could be part of a self-care toolkit.
Consider the acoustic environment more broadly. Noise is a known psychosocial hazard. Open-plan offices, clinical environments, and industrial settings all present acoustic challenges that affect concentration, stress, and wellbeing. Thinking about sound — including background music in communal areas — as part of the workplace environment is legitimate.
Don’t underestimate shared musical experiences. There’s something about music that brings people together. Whether it’s a shared playlist in a team, someone playing the radio in a workshop, or even a workplace choir — these things build connection. And connection is one of the strongest protective factors for mental health.
It’s not a strategy. But it could be part of one.
I wouldn’t suggest that any organisation puts “introduce music” as a line item in their mental health action plan. That’s not what this is about.
But I do think we underestimate the small, human things that make work feel more bearable on a difficult day. Music is one of those things. It costs nothing. It’s available to almost everyone. And it works on a level that’s both deeply personal and backed by evidence.
Perhaps the real takeaway is this: supporting mental health at work isn’t always about formal programmes and clinical interventions. Sometimes it’s about creating the conditions where people can do the things that help them feel human. Music — whatever your taste — is one of the most universal of those things.
So next time someone puts their headphones on at work, maybe don’t assume they’re disengaged. They might just be looking after themselves.
Being Real works with organisations to build practical, evidence-informed approaches to workplace mental health. If you’re thinking about your wellbeing strategy — whether that includes music or not — we’d love to talk.