Dealing with annoying workmates

Slurping your smelly noodles is a sure-fire way to upset your co-workers. Pic Getty.

The prevalence of open-plan offices in New Zealand is testing even the closest working relationships and leaving employees with no respite from the whistlers, the whiners and the downright dirty.

And in a study by New Zealand researchers R.L. Morrison and K.A. Macky, this increased interaction can strain social relationships, with results showing that employees working in shared spaces and hot-desking do not have improved co-worker friendships.

Given how hard it is to spend extended time with loved ones, it's no surprise that spending time with workmates you barely like can be more stressful than even the job itself - and it seems everyone's got a different idea about what annoys them.

So, what are the things that make people's blood boil at work?

For graphic designer Gavin Smith, it's the workmates who whistle that really drive him crazy. And he's not the only one - a financial broker (aged 41) wrote into the Financial Times in desperation for advice on how he could stop three colleagues whistling while they worked, stating that in his previous job in the Navy whistling was "the number two crime after theft."

The writer, Lucy Kellaway, had this to say in response to him:

"The persistent sound of whistling is maddening. There is a vapid cheeriness that gets under the skin. The only thing more annoying than regular whistling is whistling through the teeth."

Communications co-ordinator Gemma Rutland works in an open-plan office and one of her major irks is people who change the room temperature without checking with everyone else, as well as people interrupting her lunch/break/hallway time to ask her to do something or talk about work.

"Then there's the martyrs who a) come to work sick, b) never switch off or c) don't accept help or hoard tasks," says Ms Rutland.

"Or the ones that hover around when you're in a conversation with someone, instead of just coming back later."

Rudeness is also an issue when people demand rather than ask nicely for her to do things for them, as well as when higher up staff put people down and pull rank.

Her open-plan office also has meeting rooms nearby and she finds it annoying when people sit in there and talk with the doors wide open so everyone else still has to listen.

"Eating other people's food out of the fridge is on the list, too," says Ms Rutland. "This has happened to me many times!"

As has having to clean up after people in the shared spaces, such as putting their dirty dishes in the dishwasher or re-stocking milk.

"Who cleans up after these people at home!?" she asks.

Even the innocuous office cards cause annoyance.

"Having to write the same message on birthday, congratulations and farewell cards for people you don't really know at all can be annoying," says Ms Rutland. "Don't get me started on the awkward happy birthday singing!"

For hairdresser Rebecca Miller, it's a person's body odour that she can't stand: "It's just gross when someone doesn't have personal hygiene and everyone else has to suffer."

It seems the more people you ask, the more annoying habits you find - the list is seemingly endless!

Add to the list the public holiday hoarder that books trips so early no one else has a chance to put their hand up for a day off, the co-worker who talks loudly on the phone all day instead of emailing - especially when they put their callers on speakerphone, not to mention the gossipy ones who spread rumours for the sake of something to say.

But, for every annoying habit you can think up about your co-workers, you can bet there's one they can think up about you.

So, try to be tolerant - if you can. If all else fails, re-watch episodes of The Office so the next time a workmate annoys you, you might just see the funny side, or at least realise it could be worse!

10 annoying workmate habits

■ Whistling while you work - it was okay for the seven dwarves, but for the rest of us it's bloody annoying.

■ Slurping your smelly noodles/stinky tuna or baked beans before the rest of the office has to run for cover.

■ Always being late for meetings - and then noisily eating a muesli bar when you do arrive.

■ Sharing too much personal information - believe it or not, no one cares that much about what you ate for breakfast.

■ Asking for help with the same tech problems - if in doubt, try turning it off and on!

■ Coming to work sick and spreading it around the office.

■ Being messy in communal areas or, worse, stealing other people's food.

■Talking loudly on the phone, putting your calls on speakerphone or letting your phone ring, ping and ding all day long on your desk.

■ Changing the heating or cooling of the room to suit you.

■Sending 'funny' emails to your workmates constantly