Noisy Coworkers: Just Say Something
The work environment is a very important part of every day life. How you get along with your coworkers can determine the quality of your entire day. It can affect how you are at work, and how easily you succeed at your job. If you have bad days at work, you'll probably bring your bad moods home, which could also affect your family life.
This being the case, there are a number of things that can impinge on good working mentality when it comes to you and your coworkers. If you have some noisy coworkers, for instance, this can diminish the effectiveness of the working environment for you, and your counterparts. It is very hard to concentrate when some people are being obnoxious and making a lot of noise, but there are ways to ameliorate the situation.
Dealing with a noisy work environment is difficult, since, in addition to noisy coworkers, you may also have to contend with general office noise. You can try asking noisy coworkers to quiet down a bit, though this may not always be possible. Some--or all--of them might take offense, which you would want to avoid, given that you have to work with them every day. Besides, their noisiness may be a result of their job duties, in which case asking for quietness won't work.
When working an important project, especially one with a time deadline, small distractions such as the sound of a stapler, or the fax machine, can truly wear on you. It is crucial to know how to cope with these types of distractions, as a benefit to both yourself and those around you.
For example, one thing you can do in order to cope with a noisy office is to move your desk to a more tranquil location. Although this may not always be an option, it is occasionally feasible. If you know of a colleague that will soon be transferring, leaving or getting promoted, you could try to claim their desk upon their leaving. Another option would be to listen to soothing music with headphones, if it is permitted in your workplace, of course. You may also consider using earplugs to drown out the noise.
It is important to remember to always be polite, but this in no way mean that you should not let coworkers know when they do something that bothers you in some way. They may not even realize that what they are doing is disturbing those around them, so it is only fair to give them the opportunity to make amends with people. Keeping things to yourself may build up to a point where you can no longer hold back, resulting in you saying or doing something you will later regret.
A suboptimal work environment can have a negative impact on your working mentality and even your home life. Office noise can be more detrimental than you might realize, particularly when it comes to noisy coworkers. While some instances may just be the result of inconsiderate colleagues, there may not always be a way to lower the noise level. However, there are several things you can do to cope with a noisy office, such as moving your desk, listening to music or wearing earplugs when appropriate. Remember also that although you should never be rude to your associates, it is perfectly acceptable to politely ask them to speak more quietly.
Published July 8th, 2008
Filed in Career
