Anonymous wrote:Wear headphones to accomodate the annoying lady? Nope. They can fire her or put her in the basemente but I'm not buying something to block out her interruptions.

You should propose this solution to your boss. Let us know how it goes for you.

Anonymous wrote:Hey coworker--do you realize you clear your throat loudly every couple of minutes? Are you feeling okay? I ask because it's really distracting, but I have no idea if it could be something serious.

Nope. Worst advice of the thread.

15 times an hour is child’s play compared to my coworker. Mine has medical issues and can’t help it. We’ve figured out how to live with it in my office. It’s not like they can control it. I figure it’s harder to be them than to be me.

Wear headphones to accomodate the annoying lady? Nope. They can fire her or put her in the basemente but I'm not buying something to block out her interruptions.

You can’t control your co-worker. You can control trying to tune it out by buying ear phones, play music, bring in an air purifier or fan which will create background white noise. Or, try several of these techniques. You could also request a different location over time. Good luck. Sounds are very distracting.

Anonymous wrote:This is why I have to blast music while I work.

Companies having open office plans under the guise of creating collaboration or whatever (when really it's just to save money) are so very, very stupid.

Exactly. We all know they do the open offices because it’s cheaper. Most people hate the open space and it truly does not promote more collaboration. When we meet as a team we use a conference room. Back when everyone had offices we would just meet around the table in someone’s office. We don’t meet or have collaboration sessions in the open floor plan office space. I hate having to wear headphones all day to block out all of the nearby noise.

Anonymous wrote:Hey coworker--do you realize you clear your throat loudly every couple of minutes? Are you feeling okay? I ask because it's really distracting, but I have no idea if it could be something serious.

This is laughable! I have GERD, asthma, COPD, and allergies. You think I don’t realize that I clear my throat?!

I have constant allergies. Please wear noise cancelling headphones; it's also why I hate being back in the office, I'm allergic to it.

Anonymous wrote:I'd get a desk bell and ring it every time she does it.

That’s harassing. She probably has gerd or post nasal drip or something else challenging to treat. Can you put in a small white noice machine or noise cancelling head phones?

I'd get a desk bell and ring it every time she does it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if it were you. What would you want your coworkers to do in response?

I would want them to complain so much that I have to work from home.

hahaha that's pretty brilliant actually. It happened in my company once. A coworker was talking to herself (profanities included) all day long. She would bark at anyone who asked her to stop. They finally just made her work from home.

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if it were you. What would you want your coworkers to do in response?

I would want them to complain so much that I have to work from home.

Imagine if it were you. What would you want your coworkers to do in response?

This is why I have to blast music while I work.

Companies having open office plans under the guise of creating collaboration or whatever (when really it's just to save money) are so very, very stupid.

Hey coworker--do you realize you clear your throat loudly every couple of minutes? Are you feeling okay? I ask because it's really distracting, but I have no idea if it could be something serious.