What drives you crazy at work? - daily irritants

[PlannerGirl]

Personal cell phones going off at work-full screwytune over and over it seems, drives me ape. What happened to no cell phone calls at work? What happened to vibrate or right to voice mail? Then there are the folks who talk on their cell phones at their cube desks LOUDLY arguing with their kids/other half, never fails their work phone is going off the hook as well with one kid on one phone the other on the work line. Then there are the ones who dont WANT to talk to their families so they leave the thing in their office, on LOUD, while they wander around pestering other folks who may have real work to do, yet you ask em about the phone going nuts in their cube and "they HAVE to be able to be reachable to XYZ all the time" . Wait dont they have school or a job too?

When did we have to be in touch with EVERYONE all the damn time?

[Greenescapist]

I hate it when people cook nasty food in the microwave. At least once a week, some one heats up fish (which I like) or leftover Chinese and it stinks up the whole office. Other than that, my coworkers are really considerate. We have a few loud talkers, but not bad overall.

[Maister]

When did we have to be in touch with EVERYONE all the damn time?

Yet another reason I'm proud to call myself a neo-Luddite.

There is such a thing as making oneself too accessible. I heard an anecdote once about how when Charles De Gualle was President he used to vacation at a remote cottage that had no telephone. One time a minister had an urgent message and was unable to get it to him by any other means than having someone drive to the location to hand deliver the message. The minister later expressed displeasure for the President choosing such an inaccessible location. DeGualle told the minister he deliberately chose a location with no telephone because he felt the more accessible one made themselves to everyone else the more they diluted their own power and that if a matter was important enough to concern the President, the person wishing to contact him would make the effort to hand deliver the message as had been done.

Much the same idea lies behind having a closed-door policy. If something is important enough to discuss with the Boss someone can make an appointment to do so.

[Planderella]

Just as I was reading this, I heard a coworker's cell phone ring. His ringtone is birds chirping....not bad all things considered. I rather hear that than the unattended cell phones that ring constantly (indicating voice mail), as if their owner is too busy to attend to his/her own phones.

My boss likes to sit at his desk and talk to clients and whatnot on his cell phone, as if it never occured to him that the land line works just fine.

People who hold informal meetings in the hallway directly in front of my office door, as if I want to be disturbed by them.

People who leave an empty coffee pot on a hot burner, as if they can't be bothered to either turn the burner off or make a fresh pot.

Nasty women on this bldg's floor that don't flush the toilets thoroughly or wash their hands after using the toilet, as if their crap don't stink or carry bacteria. NOTE TO SELF: NEVER touch the bathroom door or faucet handles with bare hands.....always use a paper towel or tissue.

[Zoning Goddess]

People who expect me to remember minute details of projects from back when I was in the Planning Dept (I left 4.5 years ago)

People who walk into my office and start jabbering without bothering to ask if it's a good time to discuss it (often, it's not)

I'll echo Planderella's comment about women and the restroom; yuck

The receptionist who's in charge of ordering supplies and tries to censor all our orders

[otterpop]

When did we have to be in touch with EVERYONE all the damn time?

Couldn't agree more. I have no desire to have a cell phone. I like the fact that a land-line phone is in a specific location and you can get away from it. I see little advantage to carry the inconvenience around with you. If you don't want to talk to someone what are you suppose to say? "Sorry. I am not in my pants right now. Please leave a message and I will get back to you."

Sure the picture feature of some cell phones is cool. And I can definitely see the advantage on the road in case there is an emergency. Otherwise I will stick with land lines.

I have a friend who is a telephone junkie. A few years ago he had two cell phones and a pager. We went camping in Glacier National Park (no cell phone coverage). You would think the world had just about ended. As soon as we got back to "civilization" we had lunch at a cafe. He kept looking longingly over my shoulder. I thought for sure he must be looking at some really hot woman. Nope. It was a pay phone. As soon as lunch was over he went over and called a friend to get the details of preparations for a party he wasn't even going to. I, on the other hand, had been in hog heaven. Nary a phone call for three days.

[Gedunker]

Office politics and office Politics.

The Mayor appointing professional staff in our department without consulting our department. Yeah, yeah it's the Mayor's prerogative, but c'mon. Can we at least consider the job description, dangnabbit!

Burnt popcorn.

Daycare in the office. Sorry, no. Send the kids somewhere else, especially if they are sick.

Office romances.

My anxiety levels are rising -- I'd better stop now.

[Jeff]

Empty water bottle. Enough said.

[Clore]

How about politics in general? Elected officials who are scared to make decisions.
Staff who filter the information getting to them in order to get a certain outcome.
Slimy meetings with developers and the deals cut.
People who stop in to your office and talk incessantly.
People who have loud conversations right outside your door when you're on the phone.
People who talk to you anyway when you are obviously on the phone.
Spending months working on a project only to have it fail at a vote.
Refusing to incorporate good design in subdivisions.
Snide remarks about good design.
"We don't want to restrict anyone's rights."

[Jaxspra]

People who walk in my office before 9 in the morn. Yes, I am here at 8 but I do not like to be bothered with niceties at 8:15, or 8:30 etc...I do not like to chit chat first thing in the morning about how I am doing...um, how do you think I am doing? I left this place less than 12 hours ago....

I hate being called to the front couter to hand someone an application, there are 5 people at the front, could they take one second or two to find out what the person needs rather than calling a planner up front for nothing? I don't mind going to the counter but not to just hand out an application when they have no questions.....

Calls transferred to me for the same reason as above, the support staff does not take a second to find out where the call really needs to go (um, the County for instance....)

People who come in my office, sit down and talk to me when I am obviously working on something, or those who walk in while I am on the phone and either talk to me or stand there and listen/wait for me to get off the phone: RUDE

The lunatics on Main Street that oppose every single development that comes thier way

Sign contractors that make me come to the front counter to beg me to get their item on the next agenda when they are a week (many times 2) past the deadline, especially those sign contractors that do the majority of work for business owners, they know how the porcess works, stop buggin me due to your porcrastination...

Monday morning coworkers that want to tell me everything about thier weekend...if I told them about mine they would probably commit me

Work in general drives me crazy...in case you guys can't tell, overly optomistic jax is having a rough day

[Clore]

I forgot to mention the cranky woman up front who transfers calls to me without asking who it is and hangs up on me before I have a chance to ask. Of course if the call is for the township manager, she butters them up and is super nice to him.
She chit chats with people in the office forever, but when you ask her to do something, she "just doesn't have the time!"

[imaplanner]

Its interesting to me how so many people get really upset (apparantly - by reading this thread) when people come over to talk and be nice. I undrstand how frustrating it can be sometimes - but I woudl rather work with overly friendly peoples than some of the curmudgeons that I have worked with over the years. I suppose also that I tend to be one of the overly friendly people .

What drives me crazy is managers micro-managing everything. Last time I checked I was an adult.

[Downtown]

I see we're focusing about our actual work environment. I'm really lucky in that I really like and respect my co-workers in my Dept. Other departments, however:

- the building dept admin that takes naps on her smoke break in the women's shower in the ladies' restroom

- the jackass in DPW who makes snide comments about our department wanting to plant trees in the 50' residential street ROW.

- The religious pamphlets magnet-ed to the stall walls in teh ladies room.

Other than that, I have pretty considerate and professional co-workers. Aside from all the typical political BS associated with Municipal Government.

[Michele Zone]

Its interesting to me how so many people get really upset (apparantly - by reading this thread) when people come over to talk and be nice. I undrstand how frustrating it can be sometimes - but I woudl rather work with overly friendly peoples than some of the curmudgeons that I have worked with over the years. I suppose also that I tend to be one of the overly friendly people .

I think it depends on how disruptive it is. I like to be friendly but if I am feeling time pressured, then PLEASE leave me alone so I can do my job and not end up unemployed and homeless, thanks. I think it has to do with boundaries. People who are "friendly" in an intrusive manner -- as if you should just drop everything any time they want to chat -- are a problem. People who are willing to make themselves available but not intrude are wonderful.

[SideshowBob]

People. Freakin' People.

[Suburb Repairman]

Requests for updates on something I was never told about (apparently one of my items is going to the P&Z Commission for an endorsement before going to Council... news to me! )

Asking me a really obscure piece of information about a CDBG subrecipient's project and then snapping at me when I don't know it off the top of my head. I have 25 projects to keep up with; I'm not going to memorize every last one of them. I keep things in files so that way I don't have to memorize every single tiny item about a project. This was a one-time occurance, but it pissed me off something awful. Of course, I could have told her anything else about the project from an environmental standpoint, labor standards compliance, or contract scope, but she just had to ask about some oddball bit of financial information that had absolutely no bearing on our program.

Office gossip.

The neverending remodeling in the IT department. Moving servers around at inconvenient times without notice. Plus their office is right below me so I get all of the noise to go with it.

[donk]

coworker's listening to music out loud
coworkers personal calls, a few is understandable, but having to hear about your cousin's co dependent relationship is too much, or knowing someone's prescription cycle.
higher ups that demand a hierarchy so i repsect them, but show no "noblesse oblige" in response
people worried about 10 minutes here or there and then forget that we'll work it without claiming it.
a series of ethinic slurs and the attitudes associated with that ethnicity.

[luckless pedestrian]

People who stab you in the back politically or office gossipy stuff and never confront you and never want to work it out with you

People that complain about work but never take steps to positively change things

Basically, unhappy people drive me crazy at work because they are like a cancer and if they aren't your employee, or worse, are your equal, there's nothing you can do about them and because they won't admit to anything in a calm confrontation, you can't confront it head on either

the other weird quirky things at work I deal with are nothing - I'd take a roomful of unhappy abutters over this...

[Chet]

Religious or political "all users" e-mails. Here's one I received right before the November elections: (and yes, I b*tched right up the chain to the owner)

DARRELL SCOTT TESTIMONY

Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm? On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:



Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!

" Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.

"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!

My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!"

Do what the media did not - - let the nation hear this man's speech. Please send this out to everyone you can.

[Mastiff]

Having my delicious bacon burger lunch from across the street disrupted by a phone call, or worse... someone just walking into my office.

The other day, really, some person walked in, said, "Oh, I see you're eating lunch... this will only take a minute." Then sat down and started talking to me. Well, if they want to be rude, I can, too... I just kept eating. In fact, I continued reading something online and tuned them out. Bet they wait next time...

[Planit]

Selected co-workers here in cubeland who use the speaker phone and are too lazy to pick up the phone receiver. It's bad enough I have to listen to half of the conversation, I don't want to listen to the entire thing.

Many others that have been mentioned by others, but it generally comes down to those which are not considerate to others around them - that's all - is that asking too much?

[Senior Jefe]

A co-worker who whistles a Stephen Foster tune much too often , do da, do da . . .

[Trail Nazi]

Jerks for bosses. Come on, learn some social skills and how to work nicely with others.

Ditto on Planderella's bathroom comment.

Now, I admit that I am not always the most timely person, but it drives me nuts when people who come in later than I do, leave a whole lot earlier than the actual time that one is supposed to leave work!!!!!!

[natski]

People swearing on the phone at work- i dont care if you are talking to your family, its a pretty poor thing to do.

Cough ettiqute- its suprising how few people know what to do.

Sleazes in the workplace- so not cool.

People who treat me like im an idiot because i am younger than them- i may be younger than you but i aint stupid.

Lack of privacy- i dislike people standing behind me reading from my computer screen.

Fashion police- i dislike stares off people cause i actually dress appropriately for an office, yes thats right, i am single with no children and live at home, i may have more disposable income than other people to spend on clothes, thats not my fault.

I can think of a billion others but i will leave it there!

[cch]

Really, I don't have anything that drives me crazy at work now, except for the way that everytime I bring my lunch to work, everybody who walks past my office while I eat has to poke their head and ask "what'cha eatin'?"

I had plenty of things that drove me crazy at my old job:

Planit mentioned people using speaker phones. On old boss use to leave her office door open all the time, and play all her messages over speaker phone, and have all her conversations that way, too. And, of course she had to yell all her speaker phone conversations.

It drives me crazy when female co-workers don't put their make-up on until they are at work. At my old job, half the office would be applying make-up at their desks until 8:30.

Sorry to the smokers out there, but I hate when a co-worker takes a smoke break and then comes back and starts "close-talking" with me, and it reeks.