Office etiquette

Citygirl1

I just want to ask for some opinions on this situation.

I work in a large open plan office, in a professional environment, and have done so for many years. By their nature such office spaces can become noisy, as does this one at times.

I am currently sitting between two individuals, who are for the most part friendly, but both happen to be very noisy people. At times, their behaviour does involve shouting, banging, cursing etc. This can be disruptive, but not too much I can do about it. I have heard other colleagues comment on them both separately (without prompting from me).

My biggest issue is that the two of them, quite regularly, will engage in conversations with eachother by talking (ie shouting) directly across me. These can be work related or personal discussions. I find this incredibly disruptive. If I am on the phone I simply cannot hear. If I am off the phone, it still is a direct interruption, and I am very busy.

I also find this very rude and disrespectful personally.

I have said it to them both informally, but clearly, a few times in the past, with limited results. I recently spoke to them both again, with a slightly more formal approach.

They both were quite belligerent in their attitudes, and seem think that I am being unreasonable, I am trying to stop them doing their work, and that this is the nature of an open plan office. Their suggestions included that I should go to a meeting room to take calls, or stick my finger in my ear (!!). I have asked that one could simply pop over to the other when they wish to talk.

Surely it is etiquette in most environments to avoid having conversations across another person? I don't see anyone else in the office doing this on a regular basis.

Or, am I being unreasonable here???

The obvious solution is a desk move, but there is limitation on space, and it would become political.

frozenfrozen

could you swap places with one of them?

runawaybishop

Of course it's normal etiquette to not shout over someone, if they are disruption you and others and an informal chat hasn't worked go formal.

Citygirl1

Hi frozen - yes, I could possibly try to swap with one of them, though I'd still be exposed to all that persons noisy ways!

However, even a desk swap would require a business justification (as it requires IT input etc), and I'd have to justify it to management, which would make us all look extremely foolish, and put a black mark on me.

So, before going there, I was just wondering am I being unreasonable....

Dog walker 1234

I think you need to be more assertive.The next time they are shouting across you to each other, you need to calmly but firmly ask them to lower their voices. Eye contact is essential. If they refuse, I would tell them that they are disrupting others in the office. If they have any 'cop on' they will see the effect they are having on others.
If this does not work, it is time to escalate the issue to your supervisor.

Best of luck

frostyjacks

No, it's not unreasonable. An open plan office wasn't designed for people to talk across each other. These two individuals just have no manners. I imagine there's something in your contract about disruptive behaviour if management are reluctant to act.

Is swapping desks such a big deal in the office? A lot of open plan offices have hot desking, where you can log into any PC using your own credentials. Even if you has to move PCs around, surely they're only moving a few feet.

Citygirl1

Hi all - thanks for your helpful responses.

Dog walker - I've done exactly as you suggested on a few occasions, speaking calmly and firmly, with eye contact.

I've also given them dirty looks on a few occasions, which one of them is now taking as evidence that she is being victimised...so I will not be taking that approach again.

In the past they did seem to take my comments on board, for few hours or days at least. I was just really taken aback by my most recent encounter, when I explained myself fully.

I think I'm going to have to escalate this, as suggested, and try to swap desks.

Dog walker 1234 wrote: »

I think you need to be more assertive.The next time they are shouting across you to each other, you need to calmly but firmly ask them to lower their voices. Eye contact is essential. If they refuse, I would tell them that they are disrupting others in the office. If they have any 'cop on' they will see the effect they are having on others.
If this does not work, it is time to escalate the issue to your supervisor.

Best of luck

mordeith

At this stage I'd be like 'Will ye two ever shut the f**k up!'

Dog walker 1234

I don't envy you at all. It is very awkward as the personal approach is not working and escalating to your supervisor is going to cause a bad atmosphere. My sympathy is with you as it is very difficult to work effectively if there are people being disruptive around you.

Best of luck

Rackstar

Guy I sit beside fancies himself as an Ari Gold type character. Very loud, always shouting and cursing. I'd love to bring in a paintball gun and hammer him with it some day.

Irish_Elect_Eng

Resolving issues like this fall into the responsibility of the relevant manager when normal person to person discussion fail. This will not be taken as "a black mark" if you present your concerns clearly and without emotion or personalizing it to your manager.

Another option is to literally ignore them / shame them alternately.

• When you are working and don't need quiet user headphones. These Bose noise cancelling headphones are unbelievable. Pure Silence.

• When you are on the phone and their noise is audible on your business call. Mute the call, turn to them and say loud enough for everyone in the office to hear. "Can you please take your conversation elsewhere, I have a customer on the line and they are complaining about the background noise in our office, they cannot hear me speak, I have had to apologize to them" or other statement on that theme.

Even the terminally thick will get the idea if you stick to it.

moc moc a moc

Bring it up with your manager tomorrow. You've tried to be reasonable and appeal to their sense of professionalism, and they are not interested. Make it clear that it's not just a personal annoyance - their unprofessional/immature behaviour is potentially affecting business.

Stheno

Irish_Elect_Eng wrote: »

.

• When you are working and don't need quiet user headphones. These Bose noise cancelling headphones are unbelievable. Pure Silence.

• When you are on the phone and their noise is audible on your business call. Mute the call, turn to them and say loud enough for everyone in the office to hear. "Can you please take your conversation elsewhere, I have a customer on the line and they are complaining about the background noise in our office, they cannot hear me speak, I have had to apologize to them" or other statement on that theme.

Even the terminally thick will get the idea if you stick to it.

This. It's worked for me in the past, I used work in a pod of four desks with a guy who was half deaf (genuinely) and the above approach worked when he'd talk at the top of his voice and block out everything in a 50m radius