I think there’s just different acceptable behaviors and unwritten rules in different offices. At some companies it’s normal for people to come in a little late, no one is punching the clock. At some other companies if you arrive a minute late you look like a big slacker. Headphones aren’t bad, but since they aren’t used often in your office they do make him stick out.
If there’s a lot of interaction in your workplaces and people talking from their office door or in their offices, does him wearing headphones interfere with that? Does he notice immediately when people need to talk to him, or does it take a little while for them to get his attention and for him to take off his headphones?
If he is getting his work done and the headphones aren’t really intefering with any interactions he’s having with coworkers, I would tell the boss that it’s not interfering with his work. But I might also tell the guy that all the old folks are a little bothered by his constant use of headphones, and maybe tell him to use them a little less often, especially during the times that it’s more likely people will be coming by his office.
I work in a cubicle environment, and I pull out my headphones whenever there’s a nearby conversation that I really don’t want to be subjected to overhearing. In general listening to music while I’m working helps me to focus.
If his work is acceptable and timely and he immediately removes them when someone needs to talk with him, then being annoyed by it seems like a waste of time to me.
Ok, to take it a bit further: some of the people wear them at their desks, usually 1 bud, and only at their desks. But some walk around doing whatever tasks they’re doing, and moving between offices wearing them, even meeting with superiors wearing them, albeit with no buds in their ears at that point. Bad form?
My company does translations, so wearing headphones is the norm in most departments. It’s not in mine, but communication is primarily via email and face-to-face communication isn’t hindered by anyone listening to music or whatever.
When some jackass insists on a conference call on speakerphone or has a loud voice, headphones are a godsend.
Of course, we do have a few people who really should devote their full attention to their work, but to be blunt, even their full attention isn’t enough. So we let it go.
shrug A large part of my job involves transcription, which by definition involves headphones (unless you’re a total tool). The assumption here is that provided work is getting accomplished, and you are diligent about taking out the earbuds when someone is speaking with you, that you are engaging in your professional duties.
In fact, having earbuds in even if you do not happen to be actively transcribing is generally taken as a polite indication that you do not wish to be distracted at the moment. A lot of us use it to gently discourage getting sucked into gossip or random chit chat. It’s way more polite than saying “Please God I do not want to see yet another picture of your grandchild/cat/boyfriend doing something you think is cute”. If someone never takes out the headphones, people tend to think they’re a little on the antisocial side, but they don’t think they’re unprofessional.
I’m 33 now. A few years ago when I was working at a startup of mostly twenty-something employees (including myself), absolutely everyone had headphones on 100% of the time they were at their desks working. People listened to music, to NPR, to continuing education lectures, to whatever. But yeah… everybody listened to something while they worked, and nobody got hot and bothered about it. Not even the older, suited executives.
I’m turning 30 next month. I would never wear headphones of any kind at work and I have never seen anyone in my office do it. It would be seen as incredibly unprofessional and would send a bad image to members of the public. Members of the public whose taxes pay for our salaries.
If I have to review a video or audio file for a project and I don’t want to to disturb my coworkers, I will hold an ear bud to one ear (the ear not facing the counter where visitors might arrive) and remove the ear bud and put it away as soon as I no longer need it.
