Closing your office door all the time?

[Anonymous]

Lawyer here. I sit by the printer and get annoyed at all the chit-chat that goes on when people stand around waiting to get their print-out which makes it hard to focus. I also find it annoying that people look into my office every time they go pick up a sheet of paper. So I tend to close my door all day. I really like the privacy and focus much better this way. But is this a bad idea? Will my colleagues think I'm sleeping in there? My boss could care less as he knows I'm on top of things. Should I worry about colleagues? (no one has ever said anything to me but I'm a bit paranoid about it).

[Anonymous]

My office door is closed right now so I can read your message on DCUM in peace.

[Anonymous]

No one cares as long as you meet your billable hours and your work product is acceptable.

If you care or for some reason want to keep your door open ask to move offices. As long as there's space I doubt anyone will care about this either.

[Anonymous]

I used to work in an office where everyone was always talking. I would close my door for a set period in the morning (9:00 - 11:30) and afternoon (1:30-4:30). People were free to come in other times and they knew when my door was closed I was trying to concentrate on something. There may have been a discussion about this so it was clear-- I can't recall.

[Anonymous]

In my firm, people who work with their doors closed all of the time tend to be viewed as anti-social or weird -- but that might be because those particular people ARE anti-social and weird. They are not necessarily viewed as slackers, though. Can you work with your door ajar? That would still cut down on the noise and the ability of people to see into your office, but it suggests that you're open and hard at work in there. Also, try leaving your door open for a little while and then purposely closing it when people start to gather at the printer. Most people would get the hint that they are being disruptive and will wrap up or move down the hall. Can't do much about people who want to glance into your office as they walk by, though. That's just part of office life.

[Anonymous]

The woman with the office across the hall from me is on speakerphone literally all day long. Sometimes it starts as a client call with one of our colleagues down the hall on the phone, and when the client call concludes, the two people who work 3 doors apart call each other to debrief, both of them on speakerphone.

It is the most obnoxious thing ever and I wish that they would close their doors. Maybe they do not, for fear of being seen as antisocial and weird rather than just rude and disruptive.

[Anonymous]

My door is closed 80% of the time.

Its one of the benefits of having and office and I don't give a rip what anybody things. Maybe if somebody comes to me and says, 'we would have given you a 25% raise but your door is closed all the time and we think you are anti-social' - then, maybe, I will consider opening my door.

Until then, call first before knocking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My office door is closed right now so I can read your message on DCUM in peace.

My husband said one of his colleagues keep the door closed so he can fart in peace and concentrate the smell.

[Anonymous]

We have a new employee who closes her door all the time. It's strange -- no one else ever does, unless they're talking about confidential stuff (more common for more senior people) or on the phone.

I personally think that doors should be an indication of how willing you are to talk to people -- if closed, leave me alone. If open, I'm available. For me, this means that my door is open more than not.

[Anonymous]

My door is usually closed and so are the doors on my hall (we're all lawyers), even though we're on a pretty quiet hallway. I don't think it matters for lawyers, who may be on conference calls, etc for much of the day.

[Anonymous]

Now Im wondering if you work in my office! Our boss finally called everyone out for having their door closed. Said the officie is not collegial nor friendly, and it's our fault people write bad reviews on the employee survey. Everyone still has their door closed! But yes, it signals you do not want to be bothered.

[Anonymous]

My door is closed during meetings. The exception is when I am meeting alone with a female colleague - and especially a subordinate - and then I keep the door open.

[Anonymous]

I am a lawyer as well and sit near very loud admin people who yammer all day. I have ADD and I am extremely distractible. I close my door all day. I am known as one of the most social people in the firm (I go to lunch with colleagues, participate in other ways). When I'm working, I don't need to be distracted.

[Anonymous]

My door is opened and closed a million times a day. I keep it closed when I am on a call (ahem -- neighbors, please take heed) or when I am eating at my desk. I keep it open when I don't mind people stopping by. Sometimes though I just have to shut it for most of the day because I really have to get stuff done. When it's open I get interrupted constantly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My door is closed 80% of the time.

Its one of the benefits of having and office and I don't give a rip what anybody things. Maybe if somebody comes to me and says, 'we would have given you a 25% raise but your door is closed all the time and we think you are anti-social' - then, maybe, I will consider opening my door.

Until then, call first before knocking.

+1

I am always being interrupted and can't get anything done. I'm short-staffed and basically doing the work of three people, so I don't really care what people think.