There is only one thing that can make a hospitality job even worse than it already is, and that is that is the horrors of hospitality friendly music. Trapped in a café, restaurant, or bar and hearing the same annoying radio hit on loop is enough to drive anyone crazy. Even if at first some of the music is tolerable, or god-forbid, good, after associating it with hospitality work, or simply hearing it an average of 30 times a day, it is impossible to enjoy it. Dealing with screaming children, rude adults, or drunk vomiters certainly warrants at least a good playlist to help survive the situation…
This is an issue that predominantly affects those who are employed by chain corporations and therefore have strict rules over what music can and cannot be played. Often these large businesses have their own radio stations to ensure nothing inappropriate is heard. Whilst this displays an admirable effort to ensure no one is offended by the music playing in a department store, it unfortunately largely contributes further to the soul-destroying atmosphere dominant across chain shops and restaurants. Creating a stagnant and unoriginal environment for customers also, this can prompt negative associations with certain establishments as their music does not encourage them to ever return.
Having worked in a popular fast-food chain myself, it is safe to say that if the grating work, or rude customers did not crush my spirit, the music did. The shifts would be dominated by hearing terrible covers of popular songs such as ‘On Top Of The World’ by Imagine Dragons or ‘One Kiss’ by Dua Lipa. Previously, I had limited opinions on these songs, deeming them relatively inoffensive hits. However, now within hearing the first beat of them, I am immediately transported back to the horrors of my part time job when I was sixteen. Something needs to be done to prohibit this torture from continuing, so workers are not haunted by Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift.
In contrast to these large chains, independent cafes and restaurants can be recognisable for having a good playlist, as the workers often carefully curate playlists to match the atmosphere of where they work. Consequently, this elevates customers’ opinions of certain places, as some are more likely to return to a particular café if they enjoy the music played there. For example, one of my favourite cafés to work in, I mainly go to because they play Berlioz on repeat. This demonstrates how music can have such an integral impact on the experience of going into a hospitality business, it is not simply a product desired, but rather an experience.
The perfect atmosphere created by workers playing their own music needs to be incorporated into larger chains. Primarily this evokes a welcoming atmosphere, as it creates a more personal relationship between worker and customer. However, more importantly, this would make working in the hospitality industry so much more bearable. Therefore, increasing productivity within workers also, which, let’s face it, is definitely what the CEO’s of these large companies desire.
Ultimately, if this simple change can be easily incorporated within retail or hospitality we would all live in a much happier, brighter and friendlier world. Also, rather than be exposed to the same world-famous artists (to a sickening level), smaller artists could be promoted and generate careers through additional exposure and opportunity to have their music heard. All in all, this is an easy change that could fix an astronomically annoying issue and I personally think it would be a welcome improvement for all.
“Coffee Shop, Downtown Ventura, CA” by brewbooks is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.