There Have Been Several Complaints from Management About an Employee Wearing Headphones in the Workplace: How do I Handle it?

“We have had several complaints from management about an employee wearing headphones in the workplace. The employee said he needs his headphones, as they help him to concentrate and perform his role properly. How do I handle it?”

Whether or not wearing headphones in the workplace is problematic will depend on several factors including your industry, workplace environment and the employee’s job role.

The employee may argue that listening to music, a podcast, or even “concentration noise” makes them more productive or cancels out background noise, which could be an issue if they are working in a busy or open plan environment.

On the other hand, you could conclude that wearing headphones has a