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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

Hell is other people ñ office colleagues main source of irritation in the workplace

The people we work with are the primary source of frustration within the workplace, according to research from Monster.co.uk. A recent poll found that messy or disorganised colleagues irritate 40% of us in the office, with too much management speak coming second with 32%. 16% of us were frustrated by too many meetings clogging up the day

the people we work with are the primary source of frustration within the workplace, according to research from Monster.co.uk. A recent poll found that messy or disorganised colleagues irritate 40% of us in the office, with too much management speak coming second with 32%. 16% of us were frustrated by too many meetings clogging up the day.


Monster Meter recently asked 575 workers throughout the UK, “What frustrates you most in the work place?” The main findings are as follows:



  • 40% Messy/disorganised colleagues

  • 32% Too much management speak

  • 16% Too many meetings

  • 12% Noise/office chatter


Feelings of frustration when colleagues hold back their co-workers with their disorganisation or invade others’ personal space with their mess are not unusual. However it is possible that employees are completely oblivious to the frustration they are causing. Communication is key and just having a quiet word with the individuals’ responsible can make a world of difference. Making one simple change to an element of their behaviour can turn irritating colleagues into perfect co-workers.


Monster recommends the following tips to help cope with some of the more difficult elements of office life:



  • When we work in busy open-plan offices it’s occasionally impossible to escape office noise. Try bringing in headphones – if you really need to concentrate, listening to music is an effective way of drowning out background noise.

  • Meetings are unfortunately a necessary part of office life. However if you feel that spending so much time in meetings is detrimental to your performance, take time to assess whether your presence is always necessary or if your time would be better spent elsewhere.

  • Management jargon can be difficult to understand, but if you ensure that you use easy-to-understand English every time you speak or write, others are likely to follow suit.


For expert advice on all aspects of office life from setting up your work computer to arranging a sabbatical, please visit http://career-advice.monster.co.uk/in-the-workplace/careers.aspx

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