If you require deep concentration, try listening to ambient sounds. It helped me IMMENSELY and my vulvodynia is very well managed these days. Now earbuds are wireless and even easier to use. If you really, REALLY want this though I think youll have to address the whys to the employees and do it in a way that doesnt leave them feeling targeted, and be ready for the discontent as some might understand your reasons and others will be ready to label anything and everything as stupid in their book. Feel free to borrow one of my injuries & claim it as your own. Like wow, what other arbitrary bs rules are you going to start implementing cause ~you just dont like it~. They help others see that youre busy and prevent communication confusion. Headphone use has been banned, how should I challenge this? What you seemed to be saying is that you find it hard to believe that anyone would need to wear headphones because you yourself work as an admin, and noise isnt a new phenomenon. Earbuds are uncomfortable for some people, theyre also not noise-blocking like headphones can be. The only reason I can see to ban headphones is if there is a safety issue. Or, you might opt for a more flexible policy. Ah, I see youre familiar with my company! Not so much. It is possible that wearing either type of headphones in a noisy environment can exacerbate hearing loss. It seems to me that OP simply doesnt like the look of headphones, because the feeling awkward, waiting for him to remove them doesnt make sense. If anything, I slightly prefer people to wear headphones, because Im less likely to start talking to them without realizing they cant hear me and because I dont worry about them ripping out part of their ear by going too fast. you know what, a good chunk of this might be frustration at the awful new uniforms my store is making us switch to but in response to the headphones thing.. suck it up. how can you get around automated screening questions when youre actually qualified for the job? I have ear issues, I cannot use ear buds. When the printer is making odd sounds or theyre installing something weird in the hall, you cant block it out. Im usually Jennifer in the situation! The humanity! But I think a communication protocol would be better than an outright ban. Most adults prefer to make their own choices about earbuds/ headphones, coffee/tea, type of pens this seems to fall in that category. Our management has the same reasoning you do, and say that we shouldnt feel entitled not to be interrupted at any time for a question from anyone, which is super frustrating. How Employers Enforce Cell Phone Policies in the Workplace And is a red flag that would make me wary of deeper issues. If theyre allowed to wear earphones, they should be allowed to wear headphones. Thats why they have rules for which companies are required to accommodate the leave, you have more than 50 employees so you should be able to figure out coverage issues. Especially is it ONLY because LW doesnt like it versus any real practical reason. Not even trying to imagine if theres an expectation of and then he needs to pause work on his production server or whatever and start working on my issue, because I physically came to his desk I start dry-heaving when I try to think of that. Earbuds, especially wireless ones, can be difficult to see. Earbuds are worse for ear health, so if the headphones are not noise-cancelling headphones that prevent a person from having normal workplace communication, it doesnt seem like a hill to die on. I hurt my knees praying in a Catholic Church. I dont think that I would immediately jump to Oh it must be a female-anatomy related issue if someone didnt want to get into the details of their medical care with me. That doesnt work for everyone. . Its hard for me to ask a higher up or a WAY higher up to be quiet. Could be addressed by always having one person actively available covering the helpdesk function while the others concentrate, though, rather than a blanket ban. I would definitely be visualizing funding vanishing, or the CEO who needs to do a sign off changing her mind. I also use AirPods so I can hear people if my volume is low enough, which it usually is. LW, dont be that boss. Im an admin rather than IT support but Ive had to watch HSE videos, user guide videos and listen to podcasts related to our project. Some employers think that wearing headphones at work is unprofessional. If I had to switch to earbuds, then the switch would have to wait until the company supplied me with the equipment they wanted me to use (and equipment that didnt actively pain me to use). The Substance Use Disorder Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act will be proposed . Its external earphones or nothing. Not in a rude way as in saying when you bother to show up can you shut up about your problem, but more in a I know you are dealing with a rough time but I need folks to be able to focus on work kinda way. Just yikes. Eh, my husband has ADHD and earbuds help him focus on his work. Are you saying there shouldnt be any consequences for an employee that disregards a direct instruction minutes after its given? CAN she make such a policy decision based on her belief that other people are as bothered by the brief delay it takes to remove headphones (but not by the delay it takes to remove earbuds)? Without music it does not completely eliminate all sound but it blocks most ambient noise and it greatly reduces my anxiety/distraction. My org recently rolled out sweeping changes to our expense reimbursement and vendor payment policy. Im not sure I see a significant difference. I dont get the reaction though. *I know I used the word boom a lot, I just cant think of any other word. Your comments today are very uncharitable. my lying coworker claimed someone said I couldnt eat at my desk, telling recruiters I wont move to states that discriminate, AirTag etiquette, and more. Evaluation of the effects of gabapentin on the physiologic and Telling employees not to wear headphones I have two IT employees who like to wear headphones, not earbuds, at their desks during business hours. Now I have a wildly different position and I need to focus. 3) Is there a ticket system for certain types of issues? Give me a break. Open offices are the most evil pits of hell. Headphones and earbuds both have pros and cons, but in general, over-ear headphones are better for office environments. They probably dony have them at work. People also have different jobs and have different responsibilities. The best thing you can do is be patient, and offer nonjudgmental support if appropriate. I believe I understand your point about headphones being a productivity tool, but for some positions its not an option and those people still get work done, so sorry, it seems to me like if youre allowed to use a productivity tool that others arent (minus if that reason is for an accommodation), then it is indeed a perk. I doubt this manager ran the idea by HR before doing it. Its not causing any problems beyond startling me when they get impatient and touch me, or my neighbor says She cant SEE you from behind. Yes, it is exactly the same for me. (Im super thankful NOT to have an open office. But a few coworkers try to get my attention by coming in through my meighbors cube, and standing silently, sort of behind me in a blond spot. Thats what happens when you expect to be able to force someone to change something mid-stream even though its been acceptable until that very moment. Just confused as to why is one okay but not the other? These would all be within your authority to impose without warning, but who would want to work for you? I have no idea if thats this employees primary role or not though. And that was pure luck. Managing music volume at work: Implement a personal listening device policy I think that the breezy, not too serious just something I need to get taken care of is vague enough and shouldnt prompt further questions, and also shouldnt prompt the manager to think ah, female issues immediately, which is something it seems the Letter Writer is trying to avoid. We recently covered Shanling's M0 Pro, and the M3 Ultra DAPs but the recent Shanling pocket-friendly DAP line doesn't stop there. The phrasing may not have been particularly gentle, but the point is valid. Abusers are manipulative and they are good at controlling their partners, thats what lead to this situation in the first place. I listen to music at work. The Etymotic ones, for example. Like, not even my first 20 jumps. Productivity Small Business Please note: The answer is correct at the time of publishing. I CANT wear earbuds, as I wear hearing aids instead, and even before I got the hearing aids wearing earbuds was horribly uncomfortable. This wasnt bullying (based on the information in the letter). And unless the rule encouraged bullying, harrassment, discrimination (which it might have, but we have no information to support that) hightailing it to HR seems VERY extreme for this situation UNLESS, theres a history of difficulty between these two. I listen to music in my office. Headphone Policy at Work and the Best Headphones for Noisy Offices, Manage Volume Only You Should Hear Your Headphones, Dont Let Headphones Interfere With Office Communication, Never Wear Headphones During Conversations or Meetings, If you require deep concentration, try listening to ambient sounds. Wearing headphones at work is an often-tempting option for workers, and can indeed be useful to assist concentration. Headphones are more visible vs earbuds so its a visual cue for people that Im really busy. Theres no company anything about it. I got the feeling OP felt dangling the revocation of FMLA benefits might convince the co-worker to make that final break or maybe they just want to punish her? And yes, I am at Work and were all Adults At Work, and something Adults At Work get to decide is if their earbuds/headphones are crippling enough to not use them At Work. That is why AAM states frequently about choosing your battles as an employee when expending capital. Id be so annoyed if only people who could tolerate earbuds could listen to music or podcasts while they worked. Review a 1987 OSHA memo on music headphones. In addition, I think it simply looks bad for I.T. Youll make him faint right there. And as IT people, they really wont lack for other workplaces that do allow headphones. Shanling M1s Review Headfonics Not unusual for this particular commenter. I work in a very small office and no HR. Being unnerved by headphones but fine with earbuds seems a very specific unnerving. It is not immature to want to be ablee to focus on your work. Employees do better when not treated like children. Disconnect unused devices from the headphones. We dont know exactly what words were exchanged, we got a very high-level summary of the gist of what happened from one persons point of view. Its about the quality of work and its about the quality of life the people who are doing the work have at the office. Its not like asking someone to immediately change their clothing. I have giant headphones that will fit over my hearing aids, and cant use earbuds. Sure, such a scenario might exist. Looking back, the random status update requests were the first sign that something was off, but I was new to the work world and assumed it was normal process, and so never asked him why he was doing it until one day he had me in his office and was threatening me with termination. Was this a nesting fail or something? I dont wear headphones all the time, but when i do its usually because im absolutely saturated with being interrupted for stupid stuff and really need to calm down and focus. If your manager says Instead of item A, I need you to use item B for something that is totally optional, and you dont have item B available, the solution is not to just keep using item A its to stop using item A, and bring item B in the next day (or whenever you can get your hands on it).