Annoying Habits In The Office

We’ve all been there in the office, working quite happily when suddenly something happens that irritates you. Everyone has their own personal irritants, but there are some that are commonplace around the UK and are often seen as the most annoying thing a colleague could do.

So what are some of the annoying habits? We’ve put together some of what we think (which is entirely subjective of course) are the most annoying habits in the office, so take a look and see if you agree with any of these.

Talking Loudly

Some people may choose to specify this as talking loudly on the phone, but for others it can simply just mean anyone who is talking at an above normal level. It can be incredibly annoying to find your focus is broken because you can clearly hear the conversation someone is having across the office.

A study by Viking Direct in 2016 found that talking on the phone too loudly was the seventh most annoying habit with 20.6% listing it as annoying. It can be hard to combat this issue as some people may take offense if asked to lower their tone, however if you find that you are one of those loud talkers then you might want to consider trying to be a little quieter for your colleagues!

Not Replacing Empty Things

Ever had that moment where you go to make yourself a cup of tea or coffee only to find that something has run out? It can be a huge annoyance to workers to find that there is no coffee or milk left and even more annoying to know that someone has left it for you to resolve.

The office is often filled with things that need replacing frequently, for example paper or toner in the printer. Some people may often do not want to bother with replacing items, instead thinking that others will replace it for them. If you’re one of these people, perhaps consider simply replacing the item instead of leaving it, your colleagues will be sure to love you for it!

Only Making Drinks For Yourself

The UK has a very strong culture in the workplace for making hot drinks and not adhering to this can cause unintended offence. A common annoyance is when someone only makes a cup of coffee or tea for themselves and not the rest of the team.

Even if someone was going to say no, it can still end up causing the rumbles of irritation among colleagues.  The easiest way to resolve this is to always ask if anyone else would like a drink making, particularly if you want to be offered in the future!

Bad Hygiene

The unfortunate fact about this is that it can be hard to broach sensitively with the offending person. Bad hygiene can make a long day or an arduous task even worse and it can also reflect badly on the company or workplace.

Always make sure to be as clean as possible when in the workplace, it will make colleagues happy and will also give a professional look. If you have a colleague that has bad hygiene, it might be best to try to be as sensitive as possible when dealing with them.

Eating Smelly Food

As we just discussed, bad smells are never something that people want to have in the workplace. This counts when it comes to lunches as well, as a huge annoyance for many will be eating food that smells at lunch.

Fish is a common culprit here, but some people choose to eat other fragrant foods such as curries as well. The problem here is that not only does it smell, but the smell is likely to linger around for a while afterwards. No one wants to continue smelling lunch 3 hours later!

What Other Annoying Habits Are There?

Just like there are different people in the office, there are guaranteed to be plenty of different things that people considering annoying. What are some of the major annoyances in your office? Why not let us know?