As our project team continues to grow we are getting introduced to an even more diverse group of people and with that some new behaviours. As I promised you I would do I’m keeping you informed of the very best of them. One of my current favourites, which I have yet to personally experience, but have had been fully briefed on by someone who has, is the low volume murmur. My colleague/informant started hearing this quite yet persistent noise. At first she thought it was some background noise from the office equipment. Then realised no one was using the printer or other devices. She looked around to see if anyone else was reacting as if they too heard something. Nope, everyone was head done, hard at work. Soon after it dawned on her that one difference was that she had a new desk neighbour. By this time the noise was starting to burrow its way into her brain. So, she slyly watched the new arrival and saw her lips moving and could hear the “h
mmmmmummm”.
Now at least she had confirmation that she was not losing her mind, she felt marginally better. This lasted for a total of 2 minutes because now that she knew what is was and where it was coming from it was no longer possible to tune out. The questions started to bubble to the surface of her mind in rhythm to the “hmmmmmumm” “Is this noise because she is reading and thinks she is doing it silently?” Could she be humming the most tuneless song known to man?” “Or is she on a mission to drive me insane before the end of her first day?” At this point my informant could no longer suffer alone so she quietly started asking others sitting in the general vicinity if they too had noticed the additional undertone that had emerged. Of course she had to do this using messaging technology so as not to make the new person uncomfortable. It was soon confirmed that several other people were on the brink of migraines from trying to first figure out what the noise was and second trying to block it out. All had been extremely unsuccessful in the latter!
For clarification this started on Monday of this week, we are now at Wednesday and no one has broached the subject with the murmurer. The British politeness gene is still in clear evidence in our office. If this was happening near me I would have had to take swift action. Newbie or not something would have been said or duct tape may have been deployed as a solution!
Tag: office
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More Funny Workplace Behaviours
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Things you Learn When Working in an Open Plan Office
Open plan offices are very common now but you would be amazed by what you still see and hear going on in these shared spaces. Here are a few do’s and dont’s for working in an in this type of environment:
Dont’s
Gentlemen, when walking through the office Don’t adjust yourself first and then turn around to see if anyone can see you…they can!
Ladies, don’t hold conversations at your desk or other’s desks regarding the pros and cons of various feminine sanitary products.
Don’t perform personal business transactions on the phone while in the office because when you give out your bank details, date of birth, credit cards number etc. the person on the other end of the phone is not the only making notes!
Don’t argue with your kids on the phone because everyone will just think you are the meanie no matter what the child has done.
If you are the one person in the office with the piercing laugh please refrain because it makes others want to strangle you!
Hovering,…this spans both the do’s and don’ts. If you are hovering because you do not want to be at your desk but you have nowhere else you need to be this is a don’t.
Hovering with Intent is slightly different and gives you leeway as you are simply trying to give someone else (who is currently engaged in something you consider to be not very important or you think will end very soon) a clue you need to speak to them and s acceptable.
Hovering because someone else is hovering near your desk is not acceptable.
Eating in an open plan office has its risks. The rule of thumb should be just because you think the strong aroma of your lunch is nice does not mean others share your olfactory preferences.
Don’t eat a food that can be measured in decibels.
Don’t PICK anything!!
Do’s
Be considerate of others but if someone else is annoying you with one of the don’ts plan to use a more offensive don’t back!
I hope you will find these tips useful in your day to day working life. 🙂