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Office Etiquette 101: How to Deal With Irritating, Loud, Sick and Clueless Coworkers

Tools for Sharing Office Space With Those Who Don't Share Well

Coworkers can drive a person crazy.  No doubt.  Still, there are ways to deal with this behavior in a civilized manner.  What follows are the most common issues, tools to deal with issues, and some dos and don'ts for those sharing personal space in the workplace.

How do I deal with the loud, irritating, and annoying workmate?

Everyone who works in a cubical jungle knows this person.  He is the one who does everything loudly.  All hear his telephone conversations.  He often stands in the aisle telling jokes and laughs loudly.  His noisy demeanor makes it difficult to concentrate on work, resulting in a severe drop in productivity.  Professionalism is at stake as well, with a laugh track playing in the background of coworkers' phone conversations.   

Noisy as well, she is equally familiar with office slaves.  She is the habitual fiddler.  She taps her pencil, clicks her pen, and rocks in her ever-worsening squeaky chair. She often hums the same tune repeatedly...all day.   Her repetitious behavior increases stress and irritates all those around her. 

Solution

When a workmate talks loudly on the phone or does anything that is a repeated noisy interference, it is best to nip the behavior in the bud.   Meet privately with Mr. Noisy and Ms. Fiddler and discuss how the behaviors are interfering with your work and calm.  Begin with either a compliment or agreeing that most people have an annoying habit and then insert "However...".   If your coworker bristles or the behavior continues, it is best to head over to the manager for some heavier-handed action.

What do we do with the person who always shares his cold with the entire office?

Pencil tappers are irritating, but the guy who repeatedly comes to work sick is more than just a danger to himself.  Loudly, he coughs and blows his nose constantly disturbing his officemates two cubicles away.  Irritating yes, but unfortunately, he shares more than just the sound of his misery, he shares his germs.  Everyone in the office gets sick too.  This is especially frightening as we reflect on the Covid 19 virus.

Solution

When sick employees turn the office into an infirmary, it is best to seek policy changes.  Request that management creates a policy for those who need to work when ill.  Perhaps there are options for working from home for the drippy-nose set.   If there’s one great thing Covid has taught us, is that it is possible to work from home via Zoom and a shared Intranet. 

If this isn’t possible, it may be best to create rules to prevent workers from coming to work ill.  It's better than the entire office calling in sick or dying from a deadly virus.   

What to do about the clueless invader?

One of the first things parents teach their children is respect, respect for others and respect for property.  It is unfortunate that some people never learn this, especially when these people work with us. 

In the workplace, we have little private space.  Therefore, when someone repeatedly enters our space, picks up papers from our desk, and sneaks unwelcomed peaks at our computer screen, it is more than irritating.  It is an invasion of our limited privacy. 

Solution

It isn't a crime to be clueless and this isn't typically a problem worthy of manager intervention.  Thus, it is best to discuss your need for personal space privately with the offender.   Repeat the discussion as necessary. 

Do (s) and Don't (s)

  • Talk directly, privately, but politely to the noisy workmate. 
  • Pursue office policy about workmates coming to work sick. 
  • Remember that all our actions affect others.    
  • Be observant, ensuring that you are not the person irritating others around you.

More by Rebecca

How-To Become a Valuable Employee and Wow the Boss

Time to Polish Our Professional Presence

Decoding Office Etiquette & Proper Behavior: an interview


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