Noise levels in the workplace affecting my mental health

Gwen Cooper

Hi all,

I'm looking for an advice about what my rights are in this matter and if my employer has any responsibilities in my case.

I have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), with a nice addition of depression and anxiety. I haven't taken any medication for it for about a year now and I was managing quite well with just therapy.

I work in a call center, however I'm not on the calls. I am in an admin position, working on a computer that's located on the same floor with the guys on the phones.

They don't seem to be too busy most of the time, they're chatting with each other a lot. I don't mind that, neither do I mind the general call center background noise (people constantly talking).

What I have a problem with is the excessive noise they are making. There are regular outbursts of screaming and roaring laughing. I've worked in different call centers before and while we were all allowed to chat with each other when not on calls, we would get in trouble for making excessive noise on the floor.

One of my symptoms is sensory overload, specifically it's the noise levels. I get very irritable once it takes off, sometimes I start swearing, I'm shaking, ready to cry, can't breathe, something like a panic attack, with the difference that I can literally feel my brain buzzing during sensory overload. At that point any noise becomes physically painful.

I started measuring the noise levels in the office just to see if I'm being unreasonable, the levels are usually between 78 and 81 Db. In another call center where I had a chance to measure the levels (a much bigger one with about twice as many people), the levels stayed between 75 and 77 Db on average.

I see that it bothers my colleagues who are sitting next to me. They are also irritable and it makes them angry.

We tried to talk to the loud people a few times, but they just give each other looks like we are the crazy ones here.

I'm trying to figure out what to do. I was reading HR policies, but nothing is said there about excessive noise levels.

I was also googling to see what options I would have regarding workplace health & safety regulations, but I can't make much sense of it when it comes to this particular case.

From my googling it looks like if I brought a letter from a doctor saying that I suffer from sensory overload, they would have to do something.

A call center is a noisy place naturally, and I want to make clear that it's not the call-center noise that's bothering me, it's the excessive noise, screaming and roaring laughing.

I'm just looking to see if any of you would have any suggestions as to what I can do (apart from looking for a new job, because I like this one ). I'm worried that if I say something to HR, I will be told something along the lines of "well you work in a call center, what do you expect?"

Any help would really be greatly appreciated, because I am really ready to have a meltdown. The next time I see my doctor, I will have to ask to be put back on medication as my stress levels are through the roof and the noise at work is massively at fault.

Cheers!

cml387

Have you tried noise cancelling headphones?

davo10

You want your colleagues to talk and laugh more quietly?

Gwen Cooper

cml387 wrote: »

Have you tried noise cancelling headphones?

Not really an option - I need to hear my colleagues in case they need something, we are a team and often there are multiple people working on one case, we need to be able to consult each other.

MarkR

I'm in a IT support environment, and I've come across the same issues. Some people are just plain loud. There are some things you can do about this though.

1. Good headphones. Get wireless ones. I saw some really good ones that were noise cancelling recently on amazon for about 80. Saying that, I use a pair that cost me 20, and they do help dampen the noise. I don't even have them playing anything half the time. I know you mentioned being contactable, but people will quickly adapt to waving a hand, or skyping you to draw attention.
2. Speak to your supervior. If this is a health issue, they will need to take it seriously, and try to help
3. Location. I'm enviously looking back to the quiet corner where I used to sit. Is there a quiter area you can sit? Even partitions added can help dampen noise.

Gwen Cooper

davo10 wrote: »

You want your colleagues to talk and laugh more quietly?

Well, yes. If you're in a big room and you're sitting in one corner and you can't hear the person who is sitting next to you over the people on the other side of the room, there is clearly a problem.

Diziet

The first step is to speak to your manager. This level of noise is way beyond acceptable. See what they say and take it from there.

doolox

Would it be possible to get a separate office with soundproofing? I know in one place I worked the HR staff managed to get a separate office due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the stuff they were working on and the need to conduct interviews in private. Signs were put up everywhere in the HR floor looking for quiet. No loud activities were tolerated or allowed. Similar on some of the Engineering and Accountancy areas of the workplace.

You may need to get this sorted by going down the Health and Safety or loss of productivity, higher risk of errors and loss control route. There may be a case if you can opt for working on your own but a lot of corporate types like open plan offices as they make supervision easier and make idling harder as you are always in the public eye.

I have autism and loud crowdy places do my head in. I was offered a job in a separate room on my own which I took to readily. The supervisors on the other shifts had to get 2 employees to work the same room on the other shifts as most normal people can't stand working on their own so the supervisor saw it as a bonus.

Gwen Cooper

MarkR wrote: »

I'm in a IT support environment, and I've come across the same issues. Some people are just plain loud. There are some things you can do about this though.

1. Good headphones. Get wireless ones. I saw some really good ones that were noise cancelling recently on amazon for about 80. Saying that, I use a pair that cost me 20, and they do help dampen the noise. I don't even have them playing anything half the time. I know you mentioned being contactable, but people will quickly adapt to waving a hand, or skyping you to draw attention.
2. Speak to your supervior. If this is a health issue, they will need to take it seriously, and try to help
3. Location. I'm enviously looking back to the quiet corner where I used to sit. Is there a quiter area you can sit? Even partitions added can help dampen noise.

Hi,

Thank you for your suggestions.

I'll look into the headphones further, but I don't think that it would work. I would end up being stressed over missing something important (the wonderful world of anxiety)

My manager is aware of this and they tried to talk to their manager, who just said that they are such an upbeat department that the noise is all positive.

They moved us recently by a few meters, from one corner to the other, it doesn't really make a difference. We tried to ask to be put on a different floor with another department, but there is no space available for us.

Thanks again

Gwen Cooper

doolox wrote: »

Would it be possible to get a separate office with soundproofing? I know in one place I worked the HR staff managed to get a separate office due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the stuff they were working on and the need to conduct interviews in private. Signs were put up everywhere in the HR floor looking for quiet. No loud activities were tolerated or allowed. Similar on some of the Engineering and Accountancy areas of the workplace.

You may need to get this sorted by going down the Health and Safety or loss of productivity, higher risk of errors and loss control route. There may be a case if you can opt for working on your own but a lot of corporate types like open plan offices as they make supervision easier and make idling harder as you are always in the public eye.

I have autism and loud crowdy places do my head in. I was offered a job in a separate room on my own which I took to readily. The supervisors on the other shifts had to get 2 employees to work the same room on the other shifts as most normal people can't stand working on their own so the supervisor saw it as a bonus.

Hi, thanks for your post.

Unfortunately there is no other place where we could go, we are pretty much stuck here. Health & Safety is what I was thinking, that if I bring a confirmation from a doctor, they will be forced to act, instead of just looking like they are doing something about it.

I'm just worried that I wouldn't have any grounds complaining about a noisy place when I chose to work in a call center.

dar100

if you have a medical condition, which BPD is, your employer is obliged to make a Reasonable Accommodation for you, look it up

Diziet

Employers can rarely be 'forced' to do anything. And you have a hard problem on your hands, controlling boisterous behaviour that has been allowed to continue unchecked (what are they, toddlers?).
If they cannot move you (and they may well make it happen is pushed enough, by moving soem desks around), then get some good quality over ear headphones and use them. If your colleagues want to talk to you, they can come up to your desk. In any case noise cancelling does not cancel out the human voice, but the over ear headphones cut the noise level a lot by themselves. 
What I found very useful, even better than noise cancelling is a white noise generator. I often use this site, with headphones https://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/whiteNoiseGenerator.php. it allows you to adjust the frequencies to effectively drown out the noise. Great for productivity and calm.

MarkR

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

Hi,

Thank you for your suggestions.

I'll look into the headphones further, but I don't think that it would work. I would end up being stressed over missing something important (the wonderful world of anxiety)

My manager is aware of this and they tried to talk to their manager, who just said that they are such an upbeat department that the noise is all positive.

They moved us recently by a few meters, from one corner to the other, it doesn't really make a difference. We tried to ask to be put on a different floor with another department, but there is no space available for us.

Thanks again

We have a guy here who is deaf. Everyone was made aware beforehand, and coms are done via skype. You won't miss anything once everyone gets used to it.

https://deals.androidauthority.com/sales/treblab-z2-wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones?utm_campaign=Order+Confirmation&utm_medium=email&utm_source=StackCommerce+Marketing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TREBLAB-Headphones-Cancelling-Cloud-Like-Microphone-Black/dp/B0778V7RVR

These are those headphones I mentioned.

Gwen Cooper

Diziet wrote: »

Employers can rarely be 'forced' to do anything. And you have a hard problem on your hands, controlling boisterous behaviour that has been allowed to continue unchecked (what are they, toddlers?).

Hi, thanks for taking the time to respond

Yeah it sounds like I'm sitting in the middle of a pub, surrounded by people who had at least three pints each.

Diziet wrote: »

What I found very useful, even better than noise cancelling is a white noise generator. I often use this site, with headphones {link} it allows you to adjust the frequencies to effectively drown out the noise. Great for productivity and calm.

Never heard of that before, I'll check it out, thanks!

RebelButtMunch

Ear bud headphones, without anything playing will dampen the noise a fair bit but you'll still be able to hear if your colleagues are looking for you're attention. Although, wearing ear buds a lot might end up hurting your ears, so maybe some over ear ones too just in case.

Google these "High Quality Plugfones Contractor Yellow Ear Plug Earbuds Headphones"

Dial Hard

I hate people wearing headphones in the office, you've to call everyone in my place two or three times before they hear you and that includes the guy sitting right beside me.

They weren't allowed in previous places I've worked and rightly so, imo. They make everyone into a little silo.

Having said that, there is one particularly noisy pod in my office and when they kick off, it's extremely annoying. But them's just the breaks of working in an office environment, really.

ETA: That's generally, obvs. Given the OP has diagnosed issues, I would think their employer would make a genuine effort to alleviate her difficulties.

MadamRazz

Can you wear earplugs? It wont block out all the noise but will hopefully dampen it a bit and you should be able to hear people who want your attention. I also suffer from anxiety and depression and sometimes noise gets too much for me. I have found wearing headphone with nothing playing can be enough sometimes.

When you find it getting too much, could you go out and get some fresh air and separate yourself from it for a few minutes and try and reset yourself?

Diziet

Dial Hard wrote: »

I hate people wearing headphones in the office, you've to call everyone in my place two or three times before they hear you and that includes the guy sitting right beside me.

They weren't allowed in previous places I've worked and rightly so, imo. They make everyone into a little silo.

Having said that, there is one particularly noisy pod in my office and when they kick off, it's extremely annoying. But them's just the breaks of working in an office environment, really.

ETA: That's generally, obvs. Given the OP has diagnosed issues, I would think their employer would make a genuine effort to alleviate her difficulties.

It depends on the environment. One of the places I worked in had radio playing, at a low volume, all the time, and it killed my productivity. Headphones allowed me to work effectively. My colleagues had to adjust. of course, the employer could have turned the blooming radio off :-)
If they banned headphones, I would have made an early exit, it's like keeping the windows open in winter and banning coats. Obviously there are situations where they are banned for safety, which I totally get.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

wexie

Have you asked if there is any occupational health support in the company?
They may well be able to help with regards to either headphones/earplugs or other suggestions?

Kinda depends on the size of the company and the willingness to make accommodations though

beauf

I had to spend a week configuring machines in a call center once. I nearly went crazy with them repeating the same conversations every 2 or 3 mins. So glad when we finished the job.

beauf

Dial Hard wrote: »

I hate people wearing headphones in the office, you've to call everyone in my place two or three times before they hear you and that includes the guy sitting right beside me.

They weren't allowed in previous places I've worked and rightly so, imo. They make everyone into a little silo.

Having said that, there is one particularly noisy pod in my office and when they kick off, it's extremely annoying. But them's just the breaks of working in an office environment, really.

ETA: That's generally, obvs. Given the OP has diagnosed issues, I would think their employer would make a genuine effort to alleviate her difficulties.

Depends on the job. If you are in a job where you need to concentrate you need to disconnect from the noise in the office. I use earphones, but the ones that still allow some sound in, so I can hear if some one calls me. Most places I've worked have allowed them for the same reason.

GarIT

I sometimes use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpine-MusicSafe-Filter-Plugs-Musicians/dp/B000VO8PR0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1524167640&sr=8-4&keywords=alpine+pro

They are designed to make everything 3, 6 or 12 dB quieter without distorting the sound at all.

qwerty13

Dial Hard wrote: »

I hate people wearing headphones in the office, you've to call everyone in my place two or three times before they hear you and that includes the guy sitting right beside me.

They weren't allowed in previous places I've worked and rightly so, imo. They make everyone into a little silo.

Having said that, there is one particularly noisy pod in my office and when they kick off, it's extremely annoying. But them's just the breaks of working in an office environment, really.

ETA: That's generally, obvs. Given the OP has diagnosed issues, I would think their employer would make a genuine effort to alleviate her difficulties.

I’d disagree with this, I think earphones are great: listen to music you like, put you in a better mood, allow you to concentrate, block out discussions of soaps/kids. Anyone who wants to get your attention can skype message you or wave. And that it in itself lessens people wasting time asking before thinking.

Dial Hard

I'm clearly in the minority who thinks it's a bit ridiculous to Skype someone sitting six feet away.

It just seems to me that people are losing the ability to actually have face to face conversations anymore and I find it all a bit weird, tbh.

qwerty13

I find that a huge proportion of the conversations you have to listen to are about last nights tv, children, lunch, commuting. Not worth listening to for the small proportion that’s actually about work.

That’s why, for me, it’s better to work without distractions. Skype message is good for a quick question, or to ask if it suits for you to visit the persons desk to talk in a bit more detail. Keeps the distractions and noise levels down, and everyone can actually concentrate on what they’re supposed to be doing.

fritzelly

I'm gonna play devils advocate - you stopped taking medication for your condition, you are working in an environment where in general it would be loud regardless of whether people are busy or not
Maybe it's time to look for another job
You cannot expect an whole work force to succumb to one individuals needs of peace and quiet - this is a call centre where some individuals will be louder than others, it's gonna be loud at the best of times.
You say they "don't seem to be too busy" but obviously you don't know - can you see what they are all doing?
Your noise level deductions are not even at an harmful level, and I would hazard a guess that your maximum readings are not a sustained reading which would be needed for any complaint for some kind of noise issue

wexie

fritzelly wrote: »

I'm gonna play devils advocate - you stopped taking medication for your condition,

I can't read that from her post. It just said 'I am not taking medication'

Not 'I decided not to take any medication'.

Which to me means she's likely not taking any because she's been told not to as they're likely not doing anything for her.

If it's BPD with anxiety and depression then it's highly likely the BPD is the problem and the anxiety and depression are symptoms, in which case it's highly unlikely medication would do much of anything other than sedate her.

You're right though that it's perhaps not feasible to expect an entire office to adapt to her. Having said that, sounds to me that the behaviours she's describing have no place in a professional environment whatsoever. Perhaps in the break room.

Gwen Cooper

Thank you all for your responses and headphones/earplugs suggestions, I will look into it properly over the weekend.

fritzelly wrote: »

I'm gonna play devils advocate - you stopped taking medication for your condition

I just want to clarify that I didn't just stop taking the meds because I felt like it. I gradually stopped taking them because my psychiatrist agreed that there is no need for them anymore. Also, the meds had nothing to do with sensory overload, it was SSRI for depression and anxiety.

fritzelly wrote: »

you are working in an environment where in general it would be loud regardless of whether people are busy or not
Maybe it's time to look for another job
You cannot expect an whole work force to succumb to one individuals needs of peace and quiet - this is a call centre where some individuals will be louder than others, it's gonna be loud at the best of times.

As I explained in my opening post, a call center noise is not the problem here. I've worked in different call centers before, even in different departments in this particular company, and never had an issue until I moved to this floor. It became a problem instantly - from that it's safe to assume that my condition just didn't happen to get worse gradually while I was sitting in this department, the noise was already above normal when I got here.

I'm not the only person who is complaining about it and you can see that other people are annoyed by the noise as well.

fritzelly wrote: »

You say they "don't seem to be too busy" but obviously you don't know - can you see what they are all doing

When the phones are busy, they don't shriek. From all that screaming and laughing I am assuming that they are not busy most of the time.

fritzelly wrote: »

Your noise level deductions are not even at an harmful level, and I would hazard a guess that your maximum readings are not a sustained reading which would be needed for any complaint for some kind of noise issue

I only included the readings to show that there is a clear difference.

PhoenixParker

Fixtures and fittings can have a huge impact on noise levels. They're another area to consider for your manager if they haven't already. Soft furnishings, wall coverings, flooring, anything that stops sound bouncing around as much. Partitions placed near the source of the noise too.

minikin

Have you considered making some alternative options for yourself - get an admin role in a small company with a quiet environment... like a solicitors office etc?

You have to do all you can to be kind to yourself before expecting everyone else to change around you. Call centres by their nature are staffed by younger (noisier) folk who may not have gained the maturity of those with more experience under their belt - it’s the nature of the beast.

There’s no point in becoming a martyr to a situation just because ‘your rights... blah blah blah’. Take action NOW to find a better work situation, take care of yourself!

Pelvis

minikin wrote: »

Have you considered making some alternative options for yourself - get an admin role in a small company with a quiet environment... like a solicitors office etc?

You have to do all you can to be kind to yourself before expecting everyone else to change around you. Call centres by their nature are staffed by younger (noisier) folk who may not have gained the maturity of those with more experience under their belt - it’s the nature of the beast.

There’s no point in becoming a martyr to a situation just because ‘your rights... blah blah blah’. Take action NOW to find a better work situation, take care of yourself!

Have you read what the OP has posted at all?

minikin

Pelvis wrote: »

Have you read what the OP has posted at all?

Yes, I read the whole thing and all previous posts, thanks for asking.

I offered advice to the o.p. as someone who had been in a similar situation in the past.
I now run my own company, I now have complete control over my working environment.

My advice wasn't intended to please or displease you in particular Pelvis - sorry if you didn't like it.

I don't want to get into the pros and cons of the situation with you - just saying you have to select the battles you have a fair chance of winning.
So while it might be 'right' that the o/p/s employer 'should' provide a lovely tranquil atmosphere for them the sad reality is that they have to share that space with people who operate at different levels of energy and volume... so you can only change the things you can change.

• The workspace is noisy, the o.p. would have known this given previous experience in a call centre environment (in which they found it necessary to measure sound levels). This can't be changed.
  
• The o.p.'s reaction to that sound can't be easily changed by the employer / or the o.p.
  
• The easiest and most effective and rewarding change that can be made easily is for the o.p. to remove themselves to a quieter work environment, in which they can thrive professionally.

Gwen Cooper

minikin wrote: »

Have you considered making some alternative options for yourself - get an admin role in a small company with a quiet environment... like a solicitors office etc?

I don't mean to sound like a stubborn b***h, but this is my job. I've been doing it for years. It is something I am very good at and I worked extremely hard to get this position.

While I am in an admin job, it's still customer service related admin. Not legal or medical, not something that's usually done in a small office.

I love my job and I don't want to leave it.

minikin wrote: »

There’s no point in becoming a martyr to a situation just because ‘your rights... blah blah blah’.

I am looking to see if I have any grounds to bring this higher in the company or if I'm being unreasonable. I'm not trying to "become a martyr", I'm trying to find a solution to a problem that's affecting my health.

"Your rights... blah blah blah" - are you serious? You know that people have rights and are allowed to assert them, right?

minikin wrote: »

Take action NOW to find a better work situation, take care of yourself!

Yep, that's exactly what I'm doing, thanks for your suggestion.

Again, because some people seem to be missing that part: I am not talking about normal large office/call center noise. This is an excessive noise and I am not the only one who finds it appalling.

minikin

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

This is an excessive noise and I am not the only one who finds it appalling.[/B]

So move to somewhere quieter or take some of the many suggestions of noise canceling earphones????

It appears to me that you're frustrated with the situation and are looking to escalate, how will you win from this... it'll just cause you more stress and anxiety.

Look, I hope this all works out for you.
I've said my piece and offered my experience - take it or leave it for what it is.

Gwen Cooper

minikin wrote: »

So move to somewhere quieter or take some of the many suggestions of noise canceling earphones????

It appears to me that you're frustrated with the situation and are looking to escalate, how will you win from this... it'll just cause you more stress and anxiety.

Look, I hope this all works out for you.
I've said my piece and offered my experience - take it or leave it for what it is.

Like I said in my earlier post today, I will look at the earphones properly over the weekend.

I am frustrated with the situation, you're right. I'm not trying to win anything, I'm just trying to make sure that management here will do what management does in other departments of this company, and tell the employees to keep the noise down.

Imagine not being able to hear what a person next to you is saying because of the noise your colleagues make at the other end of the room. I'm in no way exaggerating - it is really bad. My team manager brought it up to their manager, because it was affecting my entire team, not just myself, and he did nothing. I'm trying to see that if they will do something if I bring the mental health factor into it. It would help not only me, but also my team.

Thank you for your suggestion, I know you mean well. Thanks for taking the time to respond, I appreciate it.

Pelvis

minikin wrote: »

Yes, I read the whole thing and all previous posts, thanks for asking.

I offered advice to the o.p. as someone who had been in a similar situation in the past.
I now run my own company, I now have complete control over my working environment.

My advice wasn't intended to please or displease you in particular Pelvis - sorry if you didn't like it.

I don't want to get into the pros and cons of the situation with you - just saying you have to select the battles you have a fair chance of winning.
So while it might be 'right' that the o/p/s employer 'should' provide a lovely tranquil atmosphere for them the sad reality is that they have to share that space with people who operate at different levels of energy and volume... so you can only change the things you can change.

• The workspace is noisy, the o.p. would have known this given previous experience in a call centre environment (in which they found it necessary to measure sound levels). This can't be changed.
  
• The o.p.'s reaction to that sound can't be easily changed by the employer / or the o.p.
  
• The easiest and most effective and rewarding change that can be made easily is for the o.p. to remove themselves to a quieter work environment, in which they can thrive professionally.

Well if you had read their posts you will have read that working in a call center is not the problem. The problem is the people on the floor they are currently working on which affects the OPs team but especially her. Basically the people there are allowed run riot, which is something the employer CAN and SHOULD be doing something about, especially when presented with a case such as the OPs. It's got nothing to do with maturity, it an expectation of basic professionalism.

Simply saying the OP should get another job is not a solution, nor is it particularly helpful.

Gwen Cooper

Pelvis wrote: »

Well if you had read their posts you will have read that working in a call center is not the problem. The problem is the people on the floor they are currently working on which affects the OPs team but especially her. Basically the people there are allowed run riot, which is something the employer CAN and SHOULD be doing something about, especially when presented with a case such as the OPs. It's got nothing to do with maturity, it an expectation of basic professionalism.

Simply saying the OP should get another job is not a solution, nor is it particularly helpful.

Thanks Pelvis, that's exactly what I'm trying to say.

wexie

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

I am looking to see if I have any grounds to bring this higher in the company or if I'm being unreasonable. I'm not trying to "become a martyr", I'm trying to find a solution to a problem that's affecting my health.

"Your rights... blah blah blah" - are you serious? You know that people have rights and are allowed to assert them, right?

Again, because some people seem to be missing that part: I am not talking about normal large office/call center noise. This is an excessive noise and I am not the only one who finds it appalling.

Sadly I have more than a little experience with your situation, both with regards to BPD/anxiety/depression as well as a call center environment.

You are absolutely right in saying that you are entitled to a healthy work environment. Certainly if the noise is 'annoying' to people that do not experience sensory overload I can just imagine (actually I can't just imagine, I know) how it would affect you.
You are also absolutely right in saying that the company 'should' make reasonable accommodation in helping you deal with your disorder and, chances are if they 'wanted' to it would easily be achievable without any major cost. I can tell you without knowing your office environment there is definitely a possibility of you moving to a quieter spot in the building and if your colleagues are supportive they'd make it work somehow.

However (this is where it gets a bit harder to take I'm afraid)....in my experience there are companies that don't take this duty of care quite so seriously and look at it as more of a nuisance than anything else and will make all the right noises but little beyond that.

Which means depending on how you stand up for yourself you may as well start looking for a new job as it may not be appreciated, no matter how right you are.

My advice is speak to your manager about this and feel them out for how supportive they are. Phrase it carefully (in a non antagonistic way) in terms of productivity etc. etc. Ask if there is any occupational health support, occ. health people tend to have very practical solutions that could suit both you and the company.

minikin

Apologies, I thought the o.p. was looking for constructive solutions rather than validation. So here you go: "It's a disgrace, Joe"

Look, do you seriously believe that nobody can hear each other speaking in the room? If that was the case no work would be happening. It's a call centre - productivity is extremely closely monitored!

Perhaps the hearing problem lies particularly with the way the o.p. is processing audio. Sound affects different people in different ways. Not everyone is bothered with a noisy environment. Some people like music on while they work, some like complete silence.

Given that that is likely to be the case - change what YOU can change rather than expecting everyone else to change.

It's not fair, but life is not fair.
Take control of your environment even if that means finding a better one.

Or don't... but bear in mind - it's only the o.p. that is suffering from remaining in the current workplace.
I would put your health before any other consideration.
If a situation is hurting you physically or mentally then leave it - you owe that to yourself.

It's akin to a battered partner remaining with their abuser because they are their 'partner' ("it's my job") and spend their time crying out for help from their friends... OF COURSE the abuse shouldn't be happening and the abuser is in the wrong (The loud work colleagues) BUT the logical and crucial thing to do is immediately remove themselves from the relationship (job).

It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

Glass fused light

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

I am looking to see if I have any grounds to bring this higher in the company or if I'm being unreasonable. I'm not trying to "become a martyr", I'm trying to find a solution to a problem that's affecting my health.

"Your rights... blah blah blah" - are you serious? You know that people have rights and are allowed to assert them, right?



Yep, that's exactly what I'm doing, thanks for your suggestion.

Again, because some people seem to be missing that part: I am not talking about normal large office/call center noise. This is an excessive noise and I am not the only one who finds it appalling.

Your main difficulty is that you only have a right to reasonable accommodation.
Your employer has located your department on this floor.
You state that there has to be dialogue in the group to sucessfully complete tasks.
So for you to work in your role the whole department has to move which has already been vetoed
or reconfigure the work space to work for you.
First thing they will do is noise monitor, and that will not go down well with the noisy staff, so now they have to look out for bullying.
When they finish monitoring the results will be within acceptable levels otherwise every primary school in the country would be slapped with a noise abatement order.
So now they have to decide on what is an acceptable level of noise.
Telling other staff to keep it down means changing the culture of the group (not easy) and risks a bullying accusation.
So that leaves building a sound partition, and that not necessarily just slap up a wall, the whole floor has to meet the reg.
It's easier to offer you an equivalent position on an other floor, you either move or they have offered reasonable accommodation and your terminated on health grounds.


As for the others are they so appalled that they will go on record that they can't do their jobs as a result?

Glass fused light

Double post

Gwen Cooper

wexie wrote: »

Sadly I have more than a little experience with your situation, both with regards to BPD/anxiety/depression as well as a call center environment.

You are absolutely right in saying that you are entitled to a healthy work environment. Certainly if the noise is 'annoying' to people that do not experience sensory overload I can just imagine (actually I can't just imagine, I know) how it would affect you.
You are also absolutely right in saying that the company 'should' make reasonable accommodation in helping you deal with your disorder and, chances are if they 'wanted' to it would easily be achievable without any major cost. I can tell you without knowing your office environment there is definitely a possibility of you moving to a quieter spot in the building and if your colleagues are supportive they'd make it work somehow.

However (this is where it gets a bit harder to take I'm afraid)....in my experience there are companies that don't take this duty of care quite so seriously and look at it as more of a nuisance than anything else and will make all the right noises but little beyond that.

Which means depending on how you stand up for yourself you may as well start looking for a new job as it may not be appreciated, no matter how right you are.

My advice is speak to your manager about this and feel them out for how supportive they are. Phrase it carefully (in a non antagonistic way) in terms of productivity etc. etc. Ask if there is any occupational health support, occ. health people tend to have very practical solutions that could suit both you and the company.

Thank you for your advice. I work for a big company and I believe that they would do something if I told them how it's affecting me, especially if I had a letter from my doctor.

My manager is very supportive and aware of this issue, however all she can do is to talk to the manager of the noisy department - this didn't prove to be very helpful because their manager didn't really give a hoot.

As far as I'm aware, there is no occupational health support here, which is shocking, considering the size of the company (1000+ employees).

Naturally I will try to look for another job if nothing is done here to improve the situation. I'm really just trying to figure out if there is something that can be done that wouldn't involve leaving a job that I wanted for years, worked very hard to get and that I am really good at.

Thanks again

wexie

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

Thank you for your advice. I work for a big company and I believe that they would do something if I told them how it's affecting me, especially if I had a letter from my doctor.

Sad reality is that some companies would see it as easier to 'encourage you to look for new opportunities elsewhere'

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

My manager is very supportive and aware of this issue, however all she can do is to talk to the manager of the noisy department - this didn't prove to be very helpful because their manager didn't really give a hoot.

Whatever you do try not to loose the support of your manager.

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

As far as I'm aware, there is no occupational health support here, which is shocking, considering the size of the company (1000+ employees).

Shocking but not surprising

Best of luck with it, there's a fair chance I may well know where you are, if that's the case make sure to go for a walk around the lake when you feel the need

Glass fused light

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

My manager is very supportive and aware of this issue, however all she can do is to talk to the manager of the noisy department - this didn't prove to be very helpful because their manager didn't really give a hoot.

The call takers have to be measured by some kind of metric and must be within acceptable targets.
Changing the culture of a group is a massive task and has no direct benefit for that team.
In this situation you are basically having to tell staff members that they can't talk to the people beside them.
Otherwise the manager is hopping up and down when individual chats hit a certain volume. Justifying how the previous conversation Johnny two seats down had was ok but this one is not.
This will have a direct impact on staff as it 'use to be' a fun place to work, with a possible knock on call metrics.

ArrBee

My suggestion would be hearing protection.
You can get earplugs which reduce the dB getting to your ear while not blocking all sound.
They are molded to your ears specifically and are comfortable for prolonged use.
You might even convince your employer to pay for them....

wexie

Glass fused light wrote: »

The call takers have to be measured by some kind of metric and must be within acceptable targets.
Changing the culture of a group is a massive task and has no direct benefit for that team.
In this situation you are basically having to tell staff members that they can't talk to the people beside them.
Otherwise the manager is hopping up and down when individual chats hit a certain volume. Justifying how the previous conversation Johnny two seats down had was ok but this one is not.
This will have a direct impact on staff as it 'use to be' a fun place to work, with a possible knock on call metrics.

I'd imagine the problem isn't the talking and chatting :

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

What I have a problem with is the excessive noise they are making. There are regular outbursts of screaming and roaring laughing.

I'm dealing with very similar issues and can tell you that the constant drone of office noise isn't the issue, it's sudden outbursts of loud noise. I'd imagine it's not dissimilar for the OP.

Gwen Cooper

Glass fused light wrote: »

Your main difficulty is that you only have a right to reasonable accommodation.
Your employer has located your department on this floor.
You state that there has to be dialogue in the group to sucessfully complete tasks.
So for you to work in your role the whole department has to move which has already been vetoed
or reconfigure the work space to work for you.
First thing they will do is noise monitor, and that will not go down well with the noisy staff, so now they have to look out for bullying.
When they finish monitoring the results will be within acceptable levels otherwise every primary school in the country would be slapped with a noise abatement order.
So now they have to decide on what is an acceptable level of noise.
Telling other staff to keep it down means changing the culture of the group (not easy) and risks a bullying accusation.
So that leaves building a sound partition, and that not necessarily just slap up a wall, the whole floor has to meet the reg.
It's easier to offer you an equivalent position on an other floor, you either move or they have offered reasonable accommodation and your terminated on health grounds.


As for the others are they so appalled that they will go on record that they can't do their jobs as a result?

Hi, thanks for your response.

In my opinion, just a little cooperation from the managers would go a long way. The occasional "Guys, can you keep it down" once they start getting loud would go a long way. It worked on the other floors. All it takes is just for the managers to give a damn.

The problem here is that the only responsibility of the people who are on the phones is to deal with the calls. If they don't get the calls, they are free to do whatever, as long as they stay at their desk with the headsets on, ready to take another call. That's the only thing that their managers have to look out for. They don't care about the noise levels between the calls.

In my department we don't get time between calls, we have stuff incoming all the time, there is a queue that we work through and don't really get a break until a scheduled break comes up.

The "phone" managers should realise that their team are not the only team on the floor and that we are all supposed to work towards a friendly environment.

I don't think it would be considered bullying if they just told them to keep the noise down, it's not like they're telling them to shut up.

listermint

wexie wrote: »

Sad reality is that some companies would see it as easier to 'encourage you to look for new opportunities elsewhere'



Whatever you do try not to loose the support of your manager.



Shocking but not surprising

Best of luck with it, there's a fair chance I may well know where you are, if that's the case make sure to go for a walk around the lake when you feel the need

And they would be right, The OP could wear headphones. The OP could request a partition, But the OP has said they wont wear them as they need to communicate with everyone. Mean while everyone is communicating and they dont enjoy their communication "because it looks like they arent busy anyway"

Frankly the OP may not be suited to the role / type of office environment and you cannot reasonably expect to be facilitated for everyone whim.

They have to compromise somewhat Headphones or a partition seem like obvious and frankly reasonable compromises.

Asking an entire call centre floor not to communicate because of 1 person is not. These jobs are tough enough having to deal with irate customers down the line all the time im sure the brief chance to chat with those around you is welcome for the job they have to do. The last thing people need is an administrator sitting down the end who doesnt have to take any of these calls insuring that they cant have chats amongst themselves.


Unreasonable.


Headphones / partition or look for a different environment that more suits your needs.

ELM327

I work in an office and have high functioning asperger's. Noise in the background really irritates me like hearing music from headphones or constant conversation of varying noise levels.

After years of gritting my teeth, bearing it at work, then spending hours at night with the lights off in a dark room to de-stress, I bought some noise cancelling ear muffs. I had noise cancelling headphones but they don't noise cancel fully when not playing music and when I'm really worked up I can't stand listening to music. These cost around £15 on amazon, they are like what people wear when using power tools on a building site. But it works. I can strongly suggest this to the OP.

It's a lot easier to change you than to change a whole floor. After years of surviving in the workforce without understanding why I was so different, the noise cancelling ear muffs really help.

seannash

Bit of an abstract example but we had a person who I managed who hurt his back. We accommodated him with time off, Height adjustable/Standing desk, special chair, Time to do stretching exercises.Brought in an ergonomics expert to help make sure all our workers were sitting correctly.

All of this did not appease or fix the situation. We are out of options but the person is still suffering from a bad back.
Our call centre is noisy, we give them wireless headsets with noise cancelling in them so the agents wouldn't talk so loudly. People still say its noisy.

People laugh, shout and are loud and there's only so much management can do to stifle this despite them wanting to fix it.
You seem completely unwilling to fix it for yourself because you fear missing out on conversations around you (Small point, if you can hear the conversations they are also speaking loudly)
Pop on headphones and have faith in your team that they will tap you on the shoulder when they need you. Perhaps when you jump into a conversation you are doing so uninvited and your input is unwanted.
I understand you have anxiety but maybe this could be a first step to dealing with that.
Just to say that when someone in a group complains about something its a lot easier for the group to say "Oh yeah you're right, rather than say your being unreasonable. Especially if you've divulged your medical condition to them.
I sympathise with you but also I find you very reluctant to change despite wanting the whole office to change around you.