It's 9 in the morning. You enter the office and you hear the same irritating voice you hear everyday. It’s Sam, your co-worker. His high-pitched, loud chuckles have been annoying you since forever. You want to do something about it but you just don't know what.
This little episode might seem familiar. In fact, a majority of the workers feel hostile and irritated by their co-workers. This is no surprise, considering that the majority of workers spend more time at the workplace than at home.
Behaviours and habits of co-workers can often becoming frustrating, developing into pet-peeves. Minor behaviours like coughing and sneezing can subconsciously become an annoyance. So, then what do you do?
If a co-worker is conducting behaviour that is affecting those around him/her, then it is important you talk to them. Be polite and sincere when talking with the co-worker. You don’t want to be rude and give them the wrong impression; the worst thing you want is a hostile working environment. Also, be sure that you are talking about irritating behaviours that are justifiable. Talking loudly on the phone or typing loudly are behaviours that can be justified. However, talking to a co-worker about coughing or sneezing isn't justifiable. Those are behaviours that are uncontrollable and thus, it is important for you to understand and cope with the situation.
It could be that your pet peeves are unjustifiable behaviours from co-workers. Then, the best thing is to understand. People like to be in control of their environment. However, it is necessary for people to realize that some things are just beyond your control. That is how the world works. Lower your standards and take control from there.
