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Rearview mirror - No one should ever be able to sneak up behind you. As for headphones - as long as you remove them when someone is speaking to you, I wouldn't stop.
Apparently it is a team expectation
Everyone in my HR office has earbuds, and half the managers have music on audibly when you walk in, lyrics or no lyrics, podcasts or audiobooks! I still answer my phone but a lot of chattery people around me, hard to focus.
I don’t think so. I listen to music pretty much everyday I’m not in a meeting. That’s very common and helps people focus.
I have the same problem - I can’t listen to anything that has lyrics or words if I’m trying to focus on whatever task I’m working on. I’m mostly either writing ad copy, fleshing out a digital marketing campaign,editing videos, or trying to identify certain keywords and performance of those.
I’ve always told my junior team they should have 1 headphone in when we’re sitting together in the office. I totally encourage them to listen to music, audio books, podcasts, movies, whatever helps them get through the day; but they also have to be alert to hear what’s going on around them. Never had a problem and my team loves the advice/rule.
Gotcha- just never let them hear you reference them as that!
As long as you aren’t playing TV on your phone, I wouldn’t care. I expect everyone to have earbuds or headphones on in an open office. I certainly can’t handle all the people noises all day long.
Yeah. AirPods every time
With all of these responses, I’m so happy I work from home. If I’m not in meetings, I always have music or Twitch going.
BCM - Yikes. Not a group I’d want be working for!
Toxic leader
Boss is a d!ck.
I find that music is ambiance and background sounds but I don’t understand how you can think and create for work while also trying to follow a conversation on a TV show or podcast. I have always allowed music but not the others. Even if you get your work done, how much more efficient would you be if you gave it your full focus?
some people are neurodivergent, man. what doesn't make sense for one person could be the only way another person can function. if they're bringing the results I just don't question it.
I think music/radio/podcasts/livestream audio are fine. I would recommend against actually watching something, even if you’re mentally focused it has bad optics.
+OP: Never talked about this before. He was at the cusp of yelling. He was so mad. I was caught so far off guard
Sounds like someone up the ladder chewed his arse over it, or there was a disciplinary issue with someone else related to headphones that led to the crackdown.
Regardless of the reason, he should have handled it differently.
Rising Star
I’ve never heard of this being an issue. I work in an open office at a major corp (have always worked in open offices) and everyone listening to music on their headphones?
Seems randomly over controlling to me.
Pro
Nah, your boss sounds like an asshole based on the context you gave. He might have a good reason for it, but failed to communicate to you. That’s his fault.
I’d start working from home more and avoid running into your boss in the office. Watch or listen to as many music, shows or podcasts you want. As long as you get your work done, then who cares? No one has to know!
Unfortunately I have a set # of days I have to be in
Music or podcast fine but not a show.
On client site I’ve had clients tell me it makes my team seem inaccessible. Clients pay so I had to talk to my team about it
There was also a lot of talking over cube walls as part of the company culture and I could see them not wanting to yell to someone with headphones
Sounds like a matter of control. Not cool
Personal belief he amplified onto all of us
If you leave it at a level that lets you still hear around you- when someone calls your name- and you are approachable - (not a zombie zone) - why would anyone care? Don’t let it ferment- ask for clarity and the company code in a genuinely curious way. Where I work the desks are so close together and the white noise does nothing- nearly everyone needs their audible zones and wears headphones or ear buds. Sounds like the boss could have been having a bad day and wrongly dumped on you. But if he stands firm, share the reasons it keeps you on task and productive. Sometimes people have no idea of how other people tick - and need to.
This is very weird! Every person should be allowed or let alone to decide what works better for them. I even “disappear” from my desk to work in peace and quiet in one of the rooms not being aware at all of what s going around me. It sounds a little too controlling. You need to deliver, you can’t deliver being always aware of what s happening around you. It depends what work you are doing but this is too weird for me. Doesn’t he have work to do???
I was watching twitch on the second screen when CEO passed by and casually asked "is that a twitch?" And moved along.
I'm still at the same company 8 years later.
Did you even realize he was there?
Yes. Open office space. Only him and I in. Didn’t realize it was even wrong so I hit play and went back to doing research on a memo he asked me to develop just this morning
Unless it’s explicit, it’s not unacceptable. Maybe have one earbud in so that you can hear your boss when they approach you. I would be annoyed if I approached someone and they ignore me. In your line of work, I’d expect you to be more emergent in your response; just because.