Better Work Is Done To Music

Southland Times, Issue 23930, 23 September 1939, Page 13

Better Work Is Done To Music

Tire story of the mistress who asked her servant to sing jazz rather than hymn tunes because when singing jazz she always did her work quicker, has a definite basis in fact, according to a report on rest pauses and refreshments in industry issued in London by the National Institute of Industrial Psychology. The officials of 1050 factories, employing 305,000 people, were interviewed, and it was found that 10.7 per cent, of the factories provided music. Some of the comments were: “Employees doing hammer work keep time to swingy music. Music has the effect of stopping chatter, and work improves. The girls prefer work in the warehouse, with music, to work in other departments at higher wages. Slow and fast music affect the speed of work. They work to the beat. It was found, that 52.9 per cent, of the factories visited had official rest pauses for refreshments. The effects of rest pauses on. efficiency were considered to be good by 82 per cent, of the employers. Only 3.4 per cent, regarded the results as unfavourable.