Noisy Coworker And Ways To Quiet Them Down
Encounters with less than amicable coworkers are inevitable. In spite of how irritating those coworkers may be, you will still have to cope with them on some level. Sometimes telling them that they are bothering you doesn't do the trick, and the situation calls for more drastic measures such as getting a group of coworkers to demonstrate what that person is doing that is annoying to everyone.
Coworkers, like anyone, can engage in distracting, irritating, unconscious behaviors like humming, whistling, and singing off key or incorrect lyrics. Try to block out the nonsense. Ignore it if you can. Bring in your own music, and keep the volume where you can't hear the distractions, or wear headphones to block it out completely.
If this does not work very well then try something that everybody who is annoyed with this coworker can participate in. You could even do something funny like, have everyone sign a written petition to get them to stop and post it onto their computer screen for when they come back.
A problem solving method for a noisy coworker could be a petition filed as a collaborative group. It helps because it prevents you from being singled out as the only reason for your coworker to stop irritating noise. This way the coworker will not get annoyed with you and a friendly atmosphere can be maintained in the office. It will be quite amusing to see the reaction of the coworker.
If general office noise, such as the sounds of typing, talking on phone, and the noise of copier machines, annoys you then a temporary solution would be to simply unplug everything that makes noise. If this doesn't work and you don't get fired, try moving all your belongings to the basement or other quiet place. People will soon notice your protest and comply.
You can find creative solutions to the problems posed by noise in your office, whether it comes from a single employee or the combination of general office sounds. There are many humorous ways to make it clear that noise is a problem that needs to be dealt with, without being grossly insulting.
Encounters with annoying coworkers are inevitable. In spite of how irritating those fellow workers may be, you will still have to cope with them on some level. If you have problems with a noisy coworker or just the general office noise associated with work then put your thinking cap on and get creative. There are many funny ways to get your point across without directly insulting someone. Sometimes telling them that they are bothering you does not do the trick, and the situation calls for more drastic measures such as getting a group of fellow workers to demonstrate what that person is doing that is annoying to everyone.
- Frank Barnett
