On My Mind

Nuisances in the workplace

Are there things that some people in your workplace do that irritate you? Are there things you do that might irritate your coworkers?

The answer is most likely yes.

We all do things that feel natural and reasonable to ourselves, but they might be a nuisance to others. A less organized person doesn’t mind a messy desk or office, but for a very organized person sitting next to him, a messy work environment can be annoying or even unbearable.

For me, things people do that feel like nuisances to me are.

• Use microwave and leave a mess without cleaning up for the next person.
• Leave food in the fridge and forget about it which results in mold and bad smell.
• Throw papers and other recyclable items in the trash, with a recycle bin sitting right next to it.
• People take the last piece/bite of a home-made or store bought treat that someone brought to the office, and leave the empty/dirty container sitting there, without bothering to either wash it or throw it in the trash.

A small nuisance in the workplace can grow into a big issue if left unattended.

The less nuisances and incivilities we experience in the workplace, the happier we feel about our work environment and coworkers. How can we reduce nuisances and incivilities in the workplace?

I think the first step is awareness. If we make each others aware of what bugs people, we can behave more courteously and be more careful in what we do that might have a negative effect on people around us.

Sharing our true feelings and thoughts require a culture of openness and trust in the workplace. So building a culture of openness and trust is of utmost importance for every organization and office.

In order to have a positive and productive office environment, we need to first create a safe environment where people feel safe to share, to express their honest opinions, where people feel heard, valued and appreciated.

We tend to have a higher tolerance for people whom we like/get along well than people we don’t like /get along well. So cultivating stronger relationship can reduce nuisances we feel in the workplace.

What nuisances do you experience in your workplace? What do you do to improve the office environment? I would love to hear from you. Please share in the comment box.