Open Offices are too loud.

[Kirstie]

OK - so to be more constructive, you could suggest to your boss that she invests in a white noise machine for your work area. They are not expensive, and they stop conversation and other noises transmitting in open plan work areas. We have them in our offices, which are also open plan.

 

[jack the lad]

FFS Crock - You are distracting her from her work. She tells you "It's a girl/boy thing". It's not exactly a subtle hint is it. Just how dense are you?
Get in there boy...

 

[Black Sheep]

Contact HR over her sexist comments and then carry on typing like a man and speaking with a man's voice on the phone.

i do rattle keyboards a fair bit when typing, this is partly due to my refusal to use slim keyboards, preferring the traditional desktop keyboard, which when combined with my typing speed can get a little noisy.

with regards to voice, i can apparently be heard anywhere in my fiancee's house due to being a loud yorkshireman with a deep voice, i'm just the product of a regional accent and way of speaking that evolved to cope with working in noisy heavy industry

 

[Maz]

OK - so to be more constructive, you could suggest to your boss that she invests in a white noise machine for your work area. They are not expensive, and they stop conversation and other noises transmitting in open plan work areas. We have them in our offices, which are also open plan.

White noise? That's racialist! Me and Crock gonna complain to the CRE!

 

[dellzeqq]

I confess to a Jerry Lee Lewis slide across the zxcv row before I hit the full stop - and I mean hit.

 

[Aperitif]

Yes. She was trying to be light-hearted. Smiling saying

"Isn't it funny, I've been dropping all these hints and you haven't picked up on them. It's probably a girl/boy thing."

At least she didn't say I smelt!

She's seen you in your 'Manningtree shorts' with the exploded diagram on the rear - she's just fed up with you stealing the show Crock.

But you do stink!

Kirstie's right too - but if I open the window in my 'office' I get multicultural noise - not just the white stuff, and it doesn't work. I moan all the time so it's best that I work alone...more room for my bike.

 

[Greedo]

That's the actions of a stressed person if ever I heard one moaning like that!

Open plan offices need people like you. There is nothing worse than an office where you can hear a pin drop. I'd hate to work in a place like that.

They should be filled with music, laughter and people talking on the phone. Loud keyboard banging included.

Tell her to get some earplugs and you talk away, and type as loud as you want my good man.

 

[Wigsie]

My office is open plan, the Director and the accounts lady have there own offices but they are forever thinking of reasons to come out into the open to join in on the conversations that crop up (usually, cycling, squash or ginger people).

Next time she says you are distracting her and its a man thing, just say "well your boobs distract me..... sorry, must be a man thing"!

 

[Greedo]

Come up here and I'll meet you for beers!

Take you to a decent indian unlike the last time you were up!

Greedo is right - yes she is under a lot of pressure at the moment (as are we all). I get on with her really well as iot happens. And I am VERY loud.

I'm spending too much time in the office.

I going to plan, after our team meeting next week, to spend one or two days a week out of the office. A major remit of mine is to visit our customers around the UK, running workshops and doing talks. VERY LOUDLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Think I'll visit the South-West first. Meant to be nice there this time of the year.

 

[Greedo]

Cool!

I'll be there a few days in mid-September. I'll PM you nearer the time.

 

[Brahan]

I'm sometimes extra loud on the phone, just so that I have to be told to hush up.

As for her comment about you not being able to get the message - How about asking her to give the message properly. Just say what needs to be said. AND it's blokes who get blamed for not understanding things? If women said what they meant there wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Night Train]

Open plan offices are a bad thing. Ther eis no control over sound levels and no confidentiality when speaking with others or on the phone.

If the company insists on open plan then they should also invest in sound deadening booths and proper seperation of ranks and tasks to reduce conflict due to noise and confidential documents and conversation.

 

[thomas]

Next time she says you are distracting her and its a man thing, just say "well your boobs distract me..... sorry, must be a man thing"!

try it...I dare you

 

[Fnaar]

I thank my lucky stars I have an office of my own... it may be a depressing little dark cubby hole, but it's mine, all mine. Most of my colleagues (academics) are really quite insane, lacking in social skills and find it hard to function in normal society, and if I had to share (again; I used to share with 5 others ) I would most likely kill somebody.

 

[Mr Pig]

you could suggest to your boss that she invests in a white noise machine for your work area.

What exactly do those do?