Love Recruitment did a survey of its clients to find out what bothers people the most in the office. Given my curiosity about employee engagement, these are things I had never really considered. If people just want to get on with their day there is a lot of ‘noise’ that can get in the way.
- 47% dislike time-wasting emails such as jokes, video attachments or irrelevant group emails.
- 18% dislike mobile phones ringing
- 16% dislike colleagues taking smoke breaks
- 10% dislike personal hygiene
- 9% dislike swearing
What bothers you in the office? What about Instant Messenger or Facebook?
Russell Jones says
I am hoping "dislike personal hygiene" was a typo and was supposed to say "dislike the lack of personal hygiene." But then again, who knows? 😉
One I would add is: "dislike office politics" (politics result, in part, from unreasonable expectations that the working environment is homogenous and that everyone contributes in the same manner, when, in fact, there is great diversity. Through communications we can negotiate and define expectations.)
Frank Stillone says
Great blog Naomi!
I would have to say my biggest hate is pointless interruptions and being copied on matters that do not concern me however invitations to Facebook or Myspace are right up there.
See ya
Naomi says
Ah yes I was a bit stingy on the words – surely it is dislike the lack of personal hygiene. Interesting question on office politics…some organisations are rife with it – others seem to just get on with the job. Is that a leadership question do you think?
Sharon Farrell says
Hi Naomi..
I’ve really been enjoying your blog! So firstly a great big "Thanks!!" for sharing your experiences with us all.
I’m in total agreeance with Russell, in that office politics is something that really irks me.
I have experienced this first hand from moving from one department to another within a large multi-national organisation.
Perhaps, in my case, it’s more a matter of the different types of personalities that come to roost in different areas of the organisation and the fact that different styles of personality communicate and react in different ways.
That being said, it’s frustrating to see the same person beside you making coffee each morning and they can barely muster a "Good Morning".
Russell Jones says
Yes, Naomi, I agree that it can be a leadership question. The main purpose of leadership is, I believe, the conveyance of *vision*. A team that shares in a vision does not give room or energy to office politics.