I know that not many of you work a standard full-time desk type of job like I do, but I thought I'd post this for those who do--or really for anyone who wants to give their opinion.
As you know, I am running my 3-person unit alone and have been since mid-May. I like being busy, but I don't like being harried and stressed. Some days are just very busy but not stressful and there are days like today. I no longer have a brain--I have brain SOUP. I am spent, exhausted and can't think.
Anyhow, in the midst of all this extra work and stress, I got a new cube neighbor. He listens to his iPod most days and he has very loud conversations in Spanish with another coworker. To be fair, it is not HE who is loud, it is the coworker. Everything is said at FULL VOLUME so, in addition to it being in a foreign language, my brain is constantly thrown off base and I can't concentrate.
I have already indicated to him that the music bothers me, esp. on days when I have a lot of reading to do, and he seems to be trying to avoid it somewhat.
The conversation thing I haven't addressed yet, and I'm not sure I should or want to. I know that working in a cube farm just requires a lot of patience, but I have to focus a LOT in my job and both of these things are driving me crazy. I know that my voice is not the softest in the world, but I'm also rarely having a personal conversation or phone call at my desk, so at least when I am talking, it is for work purposes. What makes the situation more complicated is that, because of the reassignment of my unit in December, I am no longer in the same organization as the two chatty coworkers, so I can't just say something to my boss and have it taken care of without me getting into it and without my name attached.
After reading what I posted, I am editing to add that I realize now that it is the fact that the majority of his conversations and phone conversations are personal that is bothering me as much as that they audibly bother me. And of course that is none of my business...so just wanted to throw that into the mix. LOL
So...sorry, I'm rambling because I'm stressed and braindead, but if anyone has been in this situation and has advice, or even if you haven't and have advice, I'd be glad to hear it.
Thanks in advance.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by Sandy: I've been struck throughout this thread with your pain as well as your great sense of humor.
Thanks, Sandy. One of my goals is to survive to the day of my retirement with my sense of humor still intact. It isn't easy some days, but I am trying!
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
The latest assault on my senses is that one of the ladies over in Party Central (who I REALLY like and is a great person in general) has been playing a voice mail of her granddaughter all week for various friends and coworkers. This is not a 15-second clip--it goes on and on for maybe 2-3 minutes...and it has been played out loud on the speakerphone 3-4 times this week.
I finally just went over and said "I've already heard this 3 times this week, could you please just have the person pick up the phone and listen to the voice mail?" and she said "This is a different call." {blink} Like that is a valid excuse. {blink}
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by p7eggyc: He is listening to the I-Pod without headphones? It seems reasonable to me to at least ask that he use headphones if he wants to listen to music.
I agree. I just got back from lunch with 2 coworkers, one of whom told me that when this guy worked in his previous cube, he always wore headphones with his iPod. The other, who works directly with the guy, said that he has no need to be on the phone much work-wise so there would be no reason for him not to use the headphones. I now have the information I need to take action on that issue the next time it happens. I just got back from lunch and the music isn't on right now, so I'll wait until it is.
quote:
Sorry none of the rest of my suggestions rang true...what is the current status on replacing one or both staff members?
This morning, I emailed the HR person who is handling the recruitment for the one position to prod her on moving forward and it worked--she sent me the register to review for that recruitment. I am not greatly enthused about the applicants but have only briefly browsed their resumes so far.
My other vacant position, unfortunately, needs to be reclassified, and that slows down the process considerably.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
I hated working in a cube farm, and I had a co-worker who annoyed me with just about everything she did, so I can at least sympathize. In an environment like that, if everyone doesn't respect others' needs for quiet, it's really difficult.
Hope that something works out for you soon.
----------- Jen
Posts: 2868 | Location: Ohio | Registered: March 11, 2004
Originally posted by p7eggyc: 1. Is there a conference room space or unused office (someone out of town for instance?) that you could pick up and move to when you need a period of high concentration? I don't know if what you are doing is on a computer or if it is a hardcopy and if you have any flexibility with that.
We used to have a small conference room that was tucked away in a quiet place and not used very often and I often went there with my staff to work on particularly complex projects, but the head cheese took over that space to make offices for a new office he created, so there is no empty space to go to on our floor anymore.
Going away from my desk at a time when I am the only one in the office would, at best, be a drastic short-term solution since I am in a customer service job and I need to be physically here.
Working at home, while it is permitted in my agency and a lot of people do it, is not something I can imagine they would ever approve for me considering that it is a customer service job and, with our current staffing situation, my being at home would leave the office empty.
My work is a combination of writing and editing on the computer, reading and editing on hard copy, providing technical guidance over the phone and in person.
I appreciate everyone's ideas. The iPod was back on this morning but at least it seems that he turns it off when he leaves his desk (maybe he puts it away so it won't be stolen), so at least it isn't constant. I'm still mulling over all your advice and thinking about what to do about both the music and the loud chatting.
Thank you all so much for your support. As you could probably tell, I was in quite a state when I wrote my original message last night. I actually felt ill at home last night...the stress was physical as well as mental.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Here I am the sahm, telling a woman who is out working, my opinion, but for what it's worth. When I was teaching, I shared a classroom with another teacher, she had second graders, I had third, all in the same room. Different curriculums, different classes, different schedules, and different styles. There was no real extra classroom space, thus the divided room, without dividers. I finally did go to the principal and tell him, that I couldn't teach that way, (you go to the boss, maybe both at the same time) I told him I had scouted out the building and would be willing to teach in the smaller PE classroom that was currently housing nothing, if he would allow us to move. I would come in on the weekend, get my own crew to do it, and take care of any additional finances that would need to be paid, IE buying the HS boys pizza to move us. It took some pleading and bargaining, and I did get the gym room, and the two classes divided happily. In fact the second graders gave up some of their chairs and helped us decorate the room.
That said, I am thinking talk to both of the bosses and ask them if there isn't a different space, or scout one out, and see if you can't move there. If it is as annoying as you've said, and you are working with customers that can't be a good situation. If your cubie mate gets talked to, maybe that will cure the situation without moving. It might make things chilly, but you will be able to produce at a level that they have come to expect.
YOU are a strong woman, but that doesn't mean you have to put up with the impossible. All you can do it talk to the bosses, if they say no, then you know where you stand, if they say yes, you are in an area where you can work better, if they say they'll think on it, maybe they'll talk to the guy. It's worth the try.
It's never too late to get it right.
Posts: 3473 | Location: Central USA | Registered: March 11, 2004
Whether you talk directly to them or to the boss, frame it as an "I" problem. I'm not being as effective as I'd like to be....rather than you are doing this or they are doing that. They might be more cooperative if they are not on the defensive. I sympathize. My coworker is a pain and has gotten away with murder as far as putting in her time is concerned. I can't stand the sight of her and now they want to force me into an office with her. Thank God the study I'm on is winding up soon.
Sheri, For some reason I thought you had an office. I hate the cube farm and I know that I'm part of the problem most of the time. I do try to take my calls elsewhere but it is just a fishbowl.
Anyway, a couple more thoughts:
1. Is there a conference room space or unused office (someone out of town for instance?) that you could pick up and move to when you need a period of high concentration? I don't know if what you are doing is on a computer or if it is a hardcopy and if you have any flexibility with that. In our office, we can log onto the network from any computer in the building.
2. I encourage you to see if you can find a way to use humor to communicate to them when they are being too loud. I can't of course give you a 'line' to use but almost always, this is totally unintentional/oblivious behavior and like you said, different work styles in competition.
3. I know space is at a ridiculous premium here at my office but is there a more appropriate space you could propose being moved to? Is there a way for you to do some of your work from home a day or 2 a week if you would even want to do that?
4. Just because you don't work for the same boss doesn't mean you can't talk to their boss however I would really advocate for you to address this with them first and see if you can't work it out. Unfortunately, it'll probably need to be addressed again because people just forget unless they really change habits (going elsewhere for chat, etc.).
Hang in there. It's been a tough run to the finish line for you.
Can you work out some sort of compromise? Can you ask the guys to have their conversations at a particular time during the day and ask them to give you a block of time for quiet?
Just try to explain that you're under some tremendous deadlines and really need to be able to concentrate. Maybe if they can allow you a block of time to get the things done that require more concentration than others, you can get them done and do some of the more mindless stuff during the time they have for listening to music and chatting.
Dawn
"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire." anonymous
Posts: 4303 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
Originally posted by Sandy: How close is retirement?
Very close! I can qualify to retire this fall (I turn 55 on October 10 but the requirement is that you must stay to the end of the month of your 55th birthday, I think). I believe the earliest date I could retire is November 1.
OTOH, I really don't want to retire in the fall. I'd rather retire next spring or next summer. One year from now, I would have my 37 years of service in, and that would up my pension. I'd LIKE to wait until then, I just don't know if, emotionally and physically, I can last that long with the way things have been going this past year. It has just gone from bad to worse to hell on wheels.
And I still have to train 2 or 3 new people (who haven't yet been hired) before I leave. (groan) As my former assistant told me after she left I "am made of strong stuff" and I'll survive this as I have so many other challenges in my career. I know she's right. It just hasn't felt like it lately.
P.S. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and support.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Sheri, I don't really have any advice other than what has already been posted but this reminds of the movie Office Space. Have you seen it? The work in cubicles and the one guy gets very irritated by this other guy who is listening to his radio in the next cubicle over. Not trying to make light of your situation but the movie is very funny(has some crude parts), especially for anyone who works in what you call a cubicle farm. At one part of the movie, the main character takes a power screwdriver and unhinges the front wall of his cubicle, knocks it down, all this stuff flies off the shelves and then he has a view of the outside world. But on a more serious note-Hope things get better!! Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
How about some noise canceling headphones? I know that they are a bit on the pricey side, but I have seen some cheaper ones out there.
When I am someplace noisy and distracting, I will sometimes put them on without turning on the I-pod. They do a fantastic job of toning down the noise, but you can still hear enough to know what's going on around you. I think you would still be able to hear the phone ring.
Originally posted by Brie: Can you tell your boss and have him/her say something to their boss?
My old boss who retired last fall? Oh yea. But not the new one. Not that he doesn't care--he is probably the most caring boss I've had--but he is as far on the non-conflict end of the spectrum as my old boss was on other end.
The group in the next group of cubes over past my cubemate are actually more disruptive than he is by far (I call it Party Central over there), so it's just not been a very good environment to concentrate in lately.
I know it's going to sound like no one is working on my floor but me, and that's not the case at all, but some folks are just more social than I think is appropriate in a work situation. I do my socializing on the way to or from the bathroom (stopping by to say hi to a coworker or talk about a favorite TV show that we both love) and then I go back to work.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by Sandy: Earplugs? I know this is not a practical solution- what you describe sounds aweful and stressful.
Would that I could! But I'm in a customer service job and the phone rings all day and customers are coming to my desk so earplugs aren't going to cut it, I'm afraid. I had been occasionally putting on headphones and listening to soft classical music to drown out the jackhammering in our parking garage so maybe I will try that with my coworker.
The problem is that I really would prefer the quiet to the music--no matter what kind of music it is. It's not that I dislike his music or that it is SUPER loud, it's just that he is SO close to me and when I try to concentrate, his music is drawing my attention away from my work.
Thanks for the hugs!
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7298 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
I finally did go to the principal and tell him, that I couldn't teach that way, (you go to the boss, maybe both at the same time) I told him I had scouted out the building and would be willing to teach in the smaller PE classroom that was currently housing nothing, if he would allow us to move. I would come in on the weekend, get my own crew to do it, and take care of any additional finances that would need to be paid, IE buying the HS boys pizza to move us. It took some pleading and bargaining, and I did get the gym room, and the two classes divided happily. In fact the second graders gave up some of their chairs and helped us decorate the room.
