Hi all!
Looking for some perspective and help on how to approach this conversation with our office manager/HR.
Let me start by saying, I probably need help on sifting through what’s truly important (and therefore “okay”) to bring up at work vs what’s just me being difficult and I should probably keep it to myself.
For background – Im 3 months into my current job. It’s a small company, about 10 people altogether, including the owners. HR is 1 person who is reception/admin/office manager/etc and AFAIK no one really works from home regularly although I was told in my interview that it’s an option.
On to the issue –
I share an office with someone where we sit across from each other with a thick partition covering all view so we never see each other while at our desks. Beyond polite greetings we don’t talk to each other and our work does not overlap. After a previous job where everyone constantly talked to each other all day long, this would be great except:
Every single call they make is on speakerphone, including the extremely long hold times with music, and on full volume. These are all work calls due to the nature of the job, not personal calls.
Slurping and chewing all day long – food noises never seemed to bother me until now. If it was limited to a few meals/snacks a day I wouldn’t fuss but this is all day long in addition to everything else.
They talk to themselves all.day.long.
Throwing files on the floor – that has startled me constantly. I have a knee jerk reaction where I audibly gasp at loud sudden noises like that. He apologized at the time but….it still happens.
Even typing on the computer sounds like an angry typing email..
banging fists on the desk
sometimes it literally
These sounds all intensify as the day goes on.
So far what I’ve done is –
headphones, which helps for a little bit of time. But after more than an hour I get a headache, not to mention they’re not comfortable to wear. I do have a few pairs that I can try out but again, I don’t want to have to wear them all day long.
I have asked if our work phones can support headsets/headphones but I don’t think they do. The office manager has actually brought up the phone issue to him a few times after comments from myself and others, but it continues.
I’ve tried coming in earlier, 7 instead of 9 so I can have some quiet time and avoid the noise, but they didn’t like that. Also, I can’t get a key to enter, so if I come in before anyone else, I’ll be waiting outside.
Beyond the phone call issue I haven’t brought up anything else because I just can’t imagine what the solution would be and I just don’t want to come across as being mean or difficult. I don’t want to hurt the coworkers feelings because I’ve been on that end; otherwise this is a good job so I don’t want to jeopardize it.
