For subscribers

Headphones at work help block distractions but could send the wrong signal

You may find them helpful, but colleagues could judge you poorly for wearing them.

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox

The assumption is that headphones help people focus and get work done.

In workplaces where visibility equates with engagement, the assumption that headphones help people focus and get work done is not universally shared, says the writer.

PHOTO: UNSPLASH

Michael Schaerer

Google Preferred Source badge

As companies in Singapore push employees back into the office and re-emphasise face time, a small but telling behaviour has become increasingly noticeable: employees working with their headphones on.

The assumption is that headphones help people focus and get work done. Yet in workplaces where visibility still equates with engagement, that assumption is not universally shared.

See more on