Annoying co-worker!!

biddy3

I work in a really small office, its mainly me and another person. My co-worker is driving me insane.. she watches and makes comments on every move i make.. our desks are close together and i feel like she is breathing down my neck all day long! we have nothing in common and never have a good chat.. its just getting me down and my anger is buliding. anybody in the same boat or any suggestions on how to feel happy in a very quite office full of tension? thanks

Cormb

sometimes ignoring the irritating so-and-so works, other times its a case of telling them to get stuffed (if its that bad at present, the atmosphere probably can't get much worse anyway).

Alternatively you can directly mention to them how irritating you find it - maybe they're mature enough to cop on.

RacoonQueen

I know the feeling. I just tend to give him yes, no answers and ask him things only when absolutely necessary.

Rb

When you say she makes comments on every move you make, how do you mean?

If they're doing it in a "You're not doing it right" kind of way and actually have no authority to, point it out to them and tell them you'll approach the management if she doesn't stop. It'll cause a bit of bad air, but that'll fade.

Redpunto

Is she trying to be friendly with her comments or is she being snidey, if its her trying to be friends then your only option is to tell her to f off and hurt her feelings, if its being snidey then tell her to f off and you dont have to feel bad about it :-)

tony1kenobi

biddy3 wrote: »

any suggestions on how to feel happy in a very quite office full of tension? thanks

Ipod......Slipknot live album. You won't even know she's there.

mikemac

If she your superior? If not then "who died and made you team leader?"

Sorted

pokerface78

tony1kenobi wrote: »

Ipod......Slipknot live album. You won't even know she's there.

i second that....not sure about the slipnot..haha!!but happy happy songs,whatever your into:) hope things work out for you x

upmeath

Have you considered bringing pepper spray to work with you?

Salome

I feel your pain. I have the nosiest co-worker ever. She listens to every conversation I have - she even joins in on phone conversations that are nothing to do with her.

It's very hard to deal with someone like that - as we have to work together - I don't want to cause bad feeling. I'm sure you're in a similar position.

Is this person superior to you? If she isn't, just tell her how you feel and that you'll make it a HR issue if she isn't more considerate. If you want to go down the HR route, keep a diary of incidents as back-up.

If she is senior to you, you may still want to talk to HR.

I think these are last resort actions though - I'd try and move desks initially and if the problem doesn't improve and your circumstances allow, I'd move jobs.

Zaph

upmeath wrote: »

Have you considered bringing pepper spray to work with you?

upmeath, you may wish to familiarise yourself with the part of the charter dealing with unhelpful and off-topic posts before posting in PI again.

upmeath

Zaph wrote: »

upmeath, you may wish to familiarise yourself with the part of the charter dealing with unhelpful and off-topic posts before posting in PI again.

Apologies zaph, point taken on board.

jdivision

I have a similar co-worker. Earphones is literally the only solution I found. He's so rude, irritating, comment prone.

seanybiker

start making comments on everything she does. Give her a taste of her own medicine and see how she likes it.

mrsdewinter

I can't believe this is an issue. If you really can't find it within yourself to have a working relationship with the one other person in the office then implement a policy of 'yes', 'no', 'maybe' for a few months. That'll work. It certainly shouldn't be a matter for HR (tho I'd love to be there for that meeting... and have a look at the HR person's notes of the complaint afterwards).
Or you could make a tiny effort and chat about the soaps, the budget, what Ray D'Arcy said this morning while making sure you discuss nothing personal either with your workmate or within earshot of her.
You know... be an adult, like

Overheal

biddy3 wrote: »

I work in a really small office, its mainly me and another person. My co-worker is driving me insane.. she watches and makes comments on every move i make.. our desks are close together and i feel like she is breathing down my neck all day long! we have nothing in common and never have a good chat.. its just getting me down and my anger is buliding. anybody in the same boat or any suggestions on how to feel happy in a very quite office full of tension? thanks

It sounds like you have a Dwight Schrute and could benefit from the Teachings of Jim Halpert. tbh. just search jim dwight in youtube and you'll catch my meaning.

jimmycrackcorm

My suggestion is to whisper something like Rhubarb under your breath every time you get annoyed. When they ask what you say then deny saying anything - they'll soon get the message.

thebiggestjim

Why don't you in a polite way ask her to stop commenting on you and what you do. See how that goes.

Elbi

biddy3 wrote: »

I work in a really small office, its mainly me and another person. My co-worker is driving me insane.. she watches and makes comments on every move i make.. our desks are close together and i feel like she is breathing down my neck all day long! we have nothing in common and never have a good chat.. its just getting me down and my anger is buliding. anybody in the same boat or any suggestions on how to feel happy in a very quite office full of tension? thanks

I totaly feel your frustration. its very difficult to deal with. I am in the same situation, there is a new employee here who shares my office with me (also share my office with paper shredder and copier which is very annoyin) but this guy in my office Never stops talking or he'l ask me a question or my opinion and then tell me im wrong or disagree with me.
I feel this tention is going to kill me like some days i go home sick just becuase i cant put up with it anymore.
Recentally I joined a gym and i really think its helping relax, before i used to bring my annoyance and anger home but now after i go to the gym and get hom i feel alot calmer.
Aparently exercise is ment to make people happy in some why (my friend read about it somehwere, dont know how true it is but sure its worth a try)

biddy3

thanks for all the great advise everybody, im taking it all on board! so good to hear other people are in the same boat.. I will let her know the next time she steps over the line. I have the ipod going as I type! I need to block the tension out because there is no way i'm heading home with my head wrecked anymore, think happy thoughts... it pains her to see me chirpy!

kittenkiller

I must admit that I can be a bit like the offending co-worker in this situation.

Usually it stems from pure boredom (if it's non-work related drivel) or feeling that something I know could assist in a given situation (I've been in the company a bit longer than a lot of the people around me).

However, if someone looks busy enough or replied with a "No, that's not it" one-liner it'll keep me quiet for a bit.

Ear phone's are always a good bet though.

Best of luck.