There are little things that people do that can cause us to scream in our heads – “Oh My God, Oh My God, Oh My God, will you stop PLEASE!” – but the annoyances are usually so trivial that no one ever really shares their frustration out loud…at least not until it’s too late to sound rational.
You find little irritations everywhere that you go. Whether it be your mother playing Words with Friends on full volume (a personal peeve of mine), or when a 26-year-old calls a middle-aged woman “hunny” (a personal peeve of my mother’s), annoyances are everywhere.
One place that annoyances should try to be diminished is the workplace.
Sure, everyone’s pet peeves are different, but there are a few office disturbances that most people can agree they would like to see gone.
Just think of how much calmer your day could be if every hour you didn’t think “WOULD HE QUIT DOING THAT.” Or maybe she won’t be so cold to you if she wasn’t thinking, “WHY MUST HE INSIST ON MAKING THAT NOISE.”
Even though the workplace annoyances may seem insignificant, minor things can often lead to major complications if they are left unresolved for too long.
The workplace should be a collaborative environment where bonds are formed in order to accomplish goals and meet deadlines. However, it is hard to be fully committed to working with a girl who insists on listening to her EDM music out loud all day. Did I just type that in bold?
With that said, we have created a series of tips on how to avoid workplace annoyances. Check-in every week for a new tip. Once you make sure you aren’t an offender yourself, you can pass it along to someone who is…in a “isn’t this an interesting blog post…?” kind of way.
Rule #1. No refrigerator trespassing.
Step Away from the K-Cups. Unless your work provides a stocked break room, do NOT touch other people’s food without permission.
We all have had those temptations, which can be a real test of self-will, but in the end, we have to close the fridge door and resist stealing a few scoops of your co-workers hummus.
Co-workers plan, buy and bring their food for a reason: for them to eat. Unless otherwise granted permission, stealing your fellow office mates food is not a good idea.
As a manager, you can help foster an environment that keeps food rage at a minimum:
- Supply common items like you guessed it, K-Cups.
- If you have a small team, designate spots in the fridge for each team member.
- If you have a large team, ask everyone to label food and supply the labels.
- Remember, just because you’re a manager doesn’t mean that you can take someone else’s food.
