WORKING TO MUSIC.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 275, 2 September 1939, Page 4

WORKING TO MUSIC.

It is now generally! realised in England that it is in the interest of employers to find ways to relieve the fatigue and monotony which inevitably afflict their employees working in factories engaged in modern mechanical production, says the “Manchester Guardian.” The introduction of 10-minute rest-pauses, for instance, during the morning or afternoon shift cannot primarily bo considered as a humane measure (though it is that also), for experience has shown that if organised pauses for rest are not arranged the workers will take them individually when they can or must. But when official rest-pauses are organised there is a notable improvement in health and morale and in most cases an equal increase of efficiency and output. Some valuable evidence on this subject has been collected by the National Institute of Industrial Psychology in a report, “Rest-pauses and Refreshments in Industry.” An inquiry into 1050 factories in seven areas in Great Britain showed that the prevalence of official rest-pauses in industry is now fairly high and rapidly increasing, though nearly a third still had no recognised rest-pauses at all. The latest means of relieving monotony during work investigated by the institute is the provision of music. In factories where working to music has been tried it has proved overwhelmingly popular with, the workers (who show a striking preference for “jazz” and “swing” music), and has been generally approved by employers. Of the latter some said that it increased output, others that it cheered up the workers during the “tired periods, and others that it stopped them chattering.