Currently there are over 40 million people worldwide who own iPods, Employees say they work better when listening to their iPods because it blocks out background noise and helps them to stay focused.  For those reasons, employers allow workers to listen, as long as their work is getting done and no one is complaining. Other employers, though, are increasingly concerned about the negative effects on communication, performance, safety, and security that iPods could have in the workplace.

Communications can break down between managers and employees, and among co-workers, because of the difficulty in getting an employee's attention while he/she is listening to an iPod through headphones. This sends the message, "Unless you have something really important to tell me, don't bother me."

If an employee plays an iPod through computer speakers, co-workers near that employee can find it disruptive, hampering their ability to concentrate.

Safety is a concern. Employees may miss alarms, warning signals, or shouts by co-workers informing them of potential harm.

Because of an iPod's capability to store files other than music, it poses security risks. The ease of transferring files from a computer to the device opens up networks to viruses, especially if an employee uses a work computer to download music or video files from an illegal source.

Tune Out Or Tone Down

You can make the rules for workplace iPod use simple. If your company prohibits the use of personal electronic devices, like Blackberries and cell phones, then ban iPods as well. If your company doesn't allow employees to listen to music at all, whether through a computer or radio, then not being allowed to listen to iPods should be obvious to them.

However, if employees are allowed to listen to music on their iPods, implement some general workplace rules to keep disruptions and risks at bay.

Employees may listen to music quietly at their desks, but the volume level must be kept low so that it does not block out voices or disturb co-workers.

Employees must not walk around the office, attend internal meetings, or meet with clients while listening to their iPods and wearing the headphones in their ears.

When discussing work-related matters with a manager, supervisor, or any other employee of the company, no matter how brief the exchange is, employees must remove their iPod headphones.

Use of the company's computers to download music and other files to iPods is prohibited.

If you have any questions regarding this subject or any other human resources topic, please contact Dave Hansen hansend@hr-onesource.com or Jack Lipovac lipovacj@hr-onesource.com at (515) 221-1718.