Everyone has something (or someone) that annoys him or her at work. It could be faulty equipment or coworkers who don’t pull their own weight. But nobody’s complaining about you, right?
Not so fast. Even though your mom, friends, or significant other may worship the ground you walk on, there could be some people you work with who are far from your biggest fans. Your dirty jokes may be a hit at home, but that doesn’t mean they sit well with Nancy in accounting.
Here are ten things that you might be doing to annoy your coworkers. Consider changing your ways before it’s too late!
Annoyance 1: (Loud) Personal Calls
It might sound insensitive, but nobody wants to hear about your kids getting sick or how angry you are with your husband. Nor do they want to be in on your weekend ski trip plans or that embarrassing thing your friend did at the bar last night.
Even innocuous subjects should rarely be discussed at length on the phone within earshot of coworkers. Personal information can make others feel uncomfortable, and constant chatting on the phone about non-work subjects can make you look like someone who isn’t getting her work done. If you must make a personal call, it’s best to leave your desk and make the call in a closed conference room, take it outside, or wait until your shift is over. Leave the work phone for work conversations only.
Annoyance 2: A Dirty Desk
Soda cans. Coffee cups. Assorted papers and office supplies. Leftover food. We’ve all seen these things pile up on an office slob’s desk, and some might wonder: whom does it really harm?
Actually, it can bother people more than you think. If your desk is so cluttered that your mess infringes on a coworker’s workspace, it’s attracting flies, or you’re losing or soiling important documents, you’re going to get a reputation as sloppy, immature, and incompetent—not a good trio of characteristics.
Annoyance 3: M.I.A. Employee
While everyone else is busy plugging away at their computers, you’re never anywhere to be found. You’re either taking a long lunch, on one of your many breaks, or calling in sick (again). While nobody wants to see you chained to your desk, your empty chair can symbolize something you don’t want to be associated with: laziness.
You might think its nobody else’s business, but that’s the thing about work—everything is everyone else’s business. People are constantly comparing themselves to their peers and superiors alike and will grow to resent people who don’t seem to be putting in a full day’s work. Wondering if people notice how often you’re outside taking a smoke break or leaving early? Stop wondering. They notice.
