10 things that piss off the office and how to deal with them

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Perhaps you are in luck to work from home or occupy a quiet corner in a modern coworking space. But if not, you are definitely familiar with all these problems.

1. A neighbor's desk is always a mess. And cookie crumbs are too close to your laptop

An employee's workplace is his own business. There is nothing wrong with a sheaf of papers, a pile of stationery, or even an unwashed coffee mug. But when the mountain of other people's things begins to slide from the neighbor's table onto yours, it's time to take action.

What to do

Talk to your colleague first. Show the line between the tables, beyond which his things should not penetrate. If that doesn't work, try to sit back or build pencil fences like Jim from The Office.

2. Everyone is loudly discussing yesterday's match. And your project is on fire

The constant discussion of football, gossip and show business news interferes with the work of not only the participants in the conversation, but also those around them. Conversations can be very interesting, but deadlines are notoriously sneaky.

What to do

Just buy some good headphones. This will help you stay productive and avoid falling out with your coworkers.

3. Someone seems to have no sense of smell at all. How else to explain this smell?

Working in an ecologically clean area, wide open windows and modern ventilation - all this does not save from people who like to take off their shoes at the workplace and warm up fish in an office microwave.

What to do

This is tricky: you can't ask a colleague to stop eating saury in the workplace. Stop though. Actually, you can. And to avoid the smell in the kitchen, you have to come up with something. For example, go to lunch 15 minutes before a fish lover or replace office gatherings with trips to a cafe.

4. Colleagues eat like pigs. Should someone clean up behind them?

Dirty lunchboxes, leftover food on the kitchen counter, and flies hovering over the trash can turn lunch from a well-deserved respite to a torment.

What to do

Show everyone an example: defiantly wash the appliances or put them in the dishwasher, and then take a rag and wipe the table behind you. And twice: first with a damp cloth, and then with a dry one. Most likely, colleagues will become embarrassed to do otherwise.

5. Colleagues do not understand that the toilet is not a place for warm meetings

A colleague comes out of the closet and greets you with a friendly handshake? Standing at the urinal, trying to entertain you with conversation? Waiting for you at the booth to ask a question about work? This is not a disaster, but it’s better to do something.

What to do

Say hello by giving your wrist instead of the palm of your hand. And hint to your coworker that the toilet is a place where you want to be alone. Unfortunately, there are no other options.

6. Someone asks to turn off the air conditioner. And someone - to turn it on. And again. A-a-a-a-a-a-a

Whatever the temperature, in a large team it always blows for someone, but for someone it is not fresh enough. As a result, you spend half of your working time with the air conditioner remote control in your hands, trying to set the ideal temperature.

What to do

If no one supports you - apparently, it is you who create problems. If there are several dissatisfied, look for a compromise. Victory is most often for those who love the cold: it's still easier to put on a sweater than going to work in shorts and a mesh T-shirt.

7. The colleague does not turn on the silent mode. And always forgets the phone on the table

Loud calls and notifications distract from work and just annoy. It's even worse when a coworker goes on a smoke break and leaves the phone on the table and the calls don't stop.

What to do

When the phone rings again, politely explain to the owner that harsh noises interfere with your focus on work. Or team up with colleagues and give him a smartwatch - so he doesn't miss anything important in silent mode.

8. Colleagues treat your things worse than theirs

For example, they might borrow and forget to return the stapler. Or finish off your milk by leaving an empty bag in the fridge.

What to do

Perhaps your coworkers do not understand that they are doing something wrong. You can hardly influence such people, but you can no longer give them a stapler.

9. A colleague finishes work at 4 pm and begins to interfere with the rest

It happens that an employee quickly does all the work and begins to get bored, waiting for 18:00. Wandering around the office, starting empty conversations, watching videos on the Internet, or throwing a ball against the wall.

What to do

Ask a colleague to help you with your work. He is unlikely to refuse: everyone already knows that he is not busy with anything. So you and your colleague will occupy, and you yourself will be free early.

10. It's someone's birthday again. And you have your entire budget planned out

In small and friendly teams, birthdays are not a problem, but a reason for fun. It's another matter when every month you have to give a tangible part of your salary for gifts to colleagues with whom you hardly know.

What to do

If you don’t feel like dumping for gifts, just don’t. But do not be offended yourself when you receive only verbal congratulations from the team. Or offer a compromise with voluntary contributions of any size. It is not as pity to give 200 rubles as 2,000, and maybe the congratulations will turn out to be more sincere.