One of the many realities of the trendy open-concept office design is that you’re now likely working in closer contact with your coworkers than ever before. Even managers now find themselves seated buffet style with their employees, all in the name of collaboration. And while the concept may be great for communication, it’s not always great for actually getting your job done. If your office environment is making you particularly nutty, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Problem: The Chatty Coworker
Solution: Ignorance is Bliss
I have a great ability to continue to type/work at my computer while I’m holding a conversation – an ability honed by years of High School typing class (yes, that used to be a thing), and refined after years of typing while conducting interviews. Over the years in an open-concept office I found one of the best ways to diffuse a chatty coworker was simply to keep working when they stopped by my desk to talk. Not the best strategy with your boss, who warrants your undivided attention, but a great solution for a gossip. It’s also fine to just be blunt – tell the talker you’re on a tight suspense project, and then just ignore them. A chatty coworker wants attention – if you don’t give it to them, they’ll move on to better prospects.
Problem: The Music Maven
Solution: When you can’t beat ’em, join ’em
Ear buds can be great, but what about a coworker who refuses to plug in? Or perhaps worse, a coworker who plays music so loud you can hear it through the ear buds? There’s often not a whole lot you can do other than join the party – and rock some ear buds of your own. Fortunately, noise cancelling technology has come a long way. You’ll get the best sound quality from a serious pair of ‘cover your whole ear’ headphones. The noise cancelling variety gives you the option to listen to music, or simply to bask in the silence. Another benefit – the more ‘large and in charge’ your headphones are, the less likely chatty coworker will be to interrupt you.
The Weak Link
Solution: Cut the Chain
They say a team is only as strong as its weakest link? I beg to differ. I’ve worked on a variety of professional teams throughout the years and several times found there was one, very clear, very distinct link. What generally happens is the rest of the team picks up the slack. Bad mouthing is never a good idea, and it’s often tough to single out a single, low performing coworker. This is a situation that calls for extreme caution – the lazy coworker can drive you nuts, but you don’t want to step in like a tattle-tale telling the boss how Suzy didn’t get her part of the assignment in on time. But if you have a single coworker you have to work with on a near daily basis who is consistently screwing up, and doesn’t have a good excuse (personal or professional), there has to come a time when you let him or her fall. Make it clear – ‘John, I would really love to help but I’m bogged down with five other assignments right now, you’re going to have to handle the report on your own. If you need help, talk to the manager.’ Then walk away, and let the chips fall. Unfortunately, a lot of times in these cases management knows who the screw-up is, but hates confrontation and doesn’t want to deal with the issue. But there is also perhaps no greater issue that will lead to professional frustration than constantly trying to do your job well, and someone else’s. Don’t make it a habit to always pick up the slack.
