Posted on 04/10/2006 by the cynic
Viewed: 701 times
Does anyone else have a coworker who is otherwise very nice and friendly, but has an annoying habit?
I sit across from this amazingly nice guy who has a terribly annoying habit--humming and singing while he works, complete with operatic vibrato, and doesn't seem to be aware of it.
One day he sat there humming the Godfather theme, loudly and with vibrato, as if he were practicing for choir or something. He had a good voice, but it was hard to concentrate.
This same guy will also do other loud things without awareness--eating two bags of pretzels for lunch and making no efford to chew quietly, or drumming on the table, or hanging up the phone by banging it down, instead of just hanging up.
I hate to be the b@@#$@ who yells at him to be quiet, so I don't say anything. Also, he is a decent worker, so it's not as if he's annoying on top of being a slacker or anything like that.
I had that at my last job too....this lady was part of a gospel choir at church and used to "rehearse" while working (belting out "Jeeeeeeesussssssss" etc.). I think a manager had asked her to stop after several complaints. Didn't make her a bad worker though.
Anyone have stories like this? I feel terrible even complaining about such awesome people, but it bugs me no end.
POST A COMMENTHaveADamnNiceDay(04/11/2006)
At one of my last jobs we had a guy like this, except he wasn't an employee. He was a client. He was a nice guy and all, but damn, Gina! He was annoying as all get out! He'd walk into our office like he owned the place, and just stroll back to the president's desk like it was nothing. He'd pace back and forth in front of my desk on his cell phone talking very loudly, or he'd go in the hallway and pace RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DOOR, so every time he passed and looked in, I thought he wanted in, so I'd always have my hand on the door switch. I really wish I had a trapdoor switch instead.... What really bothered me was he was always asking me personal questions I didn't want to answer. It wasn't anything necessarily inappropriate, I just didn't want to get as familiar with him as he wanted me to. What really baffles me is that this guy is MARRIED. I don't even want to think how that managed to take place!
the cynic(04/11/2006)
You might be right about them not being that nice underneath. They might fly off the handle if you ask them to stop; God only knows. Hence why I keep quiet and just post about it on Job Schmob. :-)
cnubelevit(04/14/2006)
Unfortunately, I have to disagree with "cynic" . The only thing that happens when you keep quiet is it continues until you you're ready for a rubber room at the Bird (loonies birds,goonie birds and do dos) Asylum.
Dharmadee(04/15/2006)
*Sigh* I do love my co-workers, I swear!!! But at least once a day they have what amount to a religious revival. One will start humming (some modern gospel)as she hear it through her headphones,then the other one will join in and actually start dancing (like in church with the Blues Brothers), then another one will come around the corner and start up, with raised hands and jumping up and down.("Amen, thank you Jesus!") I don't have a cubicle, we all share the office space. So, I just smile and try to ignore it for a minute. At least they don't actively try to convert me (usually). They also will leave their desks (not while on break or lunch), go get food from local delis and loudly eat at their desks, whil commenting to each other about how great it is. As I am not a big eater, and tend to be on a diet, this can be tough. My bimbo of a manger will look in on these scenes, then sail out without saying a word, because these co-workers hve "connections". Not me though, I get a dirty look and a snotty comment from her if I go to the restroom. Oh well, such is life.
crushes on coworkers(04/29/2006)
I worked for a huge financial institution, and couldn't believe the "white trash" nonsense all the surrounding cubicles had to put up with on a daily basis. One of the admins there had a very loud, annoying, abrupt voice (similar to Chandler's nasal ex-girlfriend on "Friends") and throughout the day, every day, the MINUTE she came in, all would know of her presence. You heard every damn phone conversation, every word. She had a crush on married guy in the nearby cubicle - all day she would flirt with him (by pretending to "scold" him for not being nice to her) and we all heard it. No one said a damn word to her, I mentioned something to my boss, but she acted as if nothing was wrong! I couldn't figure out how such a huge name, conservative company, could let such low class stuff continue. Later I found out - cause she was my boss's suckup and snitch. There's always a reason why idiots like that aren't put in their place by those in authority - in this case, cause they value their other "services".
Slacker(05/01/2006)
Who else can chart their entire day/week to prove hour by hour that they did absolutely nothing at work. That is my game that I play...how to look busy, without doing anything at all!
viper(08/23/2006)
Even if they smile and are approachable, a person who has multiple bad habits is not a "nice" person. They are self-absorbed, socially inept, and spoiled. Reasonable employees work around them and their dysfunctional behavior, only to feel helpless after awhile for putting up with it for such a long time. On the other hand, I have a co-worker who is the epitome of the label "nice person with an irritating habit". He is quiet, studious, and hard working. Unfortunately, he is also a chronic throat clearer, who hacks away every 2-3 minutes throughout the day. Forget about moving desks, because this disgusting sound can be heard throughout our section of the office. He has no idea that he does this, but nobody, including me, wants to be perceived as a "whiner" and mention it to him.
the cynic(08/23/2006)
We have a whistler at my new job too. guy sounds like a freakin' songbird in heat. He must be on vacation right now though, because I haven't heard him since last week.
vanilla ginger (04/10/2006)
Had a co-worker in an adjacent cube who was on the phone all day with brokers. She'd stand up to talk on the phone. She was a good friend, but SO LOUD. I was trying to concentrate on detailed tasks and could not hear myself THINK - I used to cringe every time I heard her dialing the phone. Come to find out she had a hearing loss and no one ever said anything to her about the volume - until HR got involved and broke it to her correctly.
Walk the Planks (04/10/2006)
I have a coworker who has different rings set on her phone, so she knows who's calling. She also sets her alarm clock, which beeps. So on top of her personal cell phone going off, her watch has to let out a beep every hour or so. It's annoying that she has to play with her electronic gadgets, which break concentration and give you a jolt every now and then. Another coworker clears her throat about 20 times a day.
C - - (04/10/2006)
Don't get me started. there were and are so many of them. Most of them act nice but they really aren't. One made life so miserable for everyone with her awful sounding radio station that coworkers did there best to avoid her. She had the temerity to complain about "certain people" selectively. Of course management supported her 100%.
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