However, there are some parts of my job that I detest. Among these is the requirement to serve as referee for disputes among the people I supervise, when those disputes are something that adults could and should settle between themselves, without getting the boss involved, especially since in all other respects these are comptent, assertive, highly-trained people. Get them in front of a highly technical issue and they will fight hard for their point of view but accept a contrary decision with equanimity and grace. But…
We have an on-going issue with music. Specifically, Johnny Tunes sits next to Quinton Quiet. Johnny likes to play music. Now, I’ve been by his cube more than once, and he’s playing soft “easy listening” type stuff. I just heard “Leaving on a Jet Plane” this morning, and yesterday I caught “Sounds of Silence.” And the volume is low. But if you stand right next to his cube you can certainly hear it.
Quinton does not like music. Or maybe (not sure) he likes music but not THAT music. In any event, he feels it’s wrong for Johnny to play anything at all when he can hear it.
Rather than address Johnny directly, Quinton comes to my office to complain.
I have just told Johnny he needs to invest in headphones. But it irritates me that this sort of thing is getting solved by an edict from the supervisor. And it REALLY irritates me that any of us adults are wasting time discussing this when we have a mountain of real work to do.
If it were you in Quinton’s spot, would you confront Johnny directly or go see the boss?
I would at least try talking to Johnny directly before taking to a boss. I might say “Gee, Johnny, I understand that listening to music helps some people concentrate better. But me? Unfortunately, I’m very easily distracted by such things. Do you think it might be possible for you to invest in a set of headphones or something?” Then, if Johnny were absolutely unwilling to do anything to bring about a resolution to the problem, I might take it to the boss.
Johnny should have been considerate to start with and realized that not everyone likes to hear music while working. But, while Quinton is correct, he definitely should have approached Johnny directly before “running to dad.” It drives me bonkers when adults do that.
Unfortunately, the music thing is an issue wherever there are cubicles or officemates. People tend to turn into entitled, demanding whiners – no matter which side they’re on. I, of course, am immune.*
*I can’t stand wearing headphones, but I do work better with music: luckily, my ears are good enough that I can play music just loud enough for only me to hear. I’ve had people stand in my cubicle and not believe that I had music playing, and when I shared an office I converted my at-first-dubious officemate. I might miss some very quiet songs, sometimes I need to adjust the volume up or down, and appreciating the various expressions in classical music is out of the question, but for the most part I get the music background that helps me work without annoying anyone around me.
I’ve never worked in an office setting where people in the cubes could play music without headphones but I’m sure that I’d talk to the person myself first, and then decide if it was really so much of a problem that I couldn’t get my work done. That would be the only thing that would get me to take it to my boss. The programmers that worked for me often blasted their music so loudly through their headphones that it could still be heard 4 cubes away but a gentle reminder that they make good headphones these days that keep the sound from escaping and that they should lose the crappy little ones usually did the trick.
ETA: That was sarcasm - good headphones have existed for at least 40 years
Not talking to the other person seems like a huge cop out. A simple, “Hey, do you mind using some headphones? Sometimes music prevents me from concentrating,” should do the trick. Non-confrontational is one thing, refusing to even attempt to solve your own problems like an adult is another.
In my workplace we’re not allowed to wear headphones, as there’s other stuff, like overhead pages, that we need to hear. Actually, several places I’ve worked at wouln’t allow them, so it’s possible that Quinton or Johnny wouldn’t even think of this as an option.
In my space, the only options would be low-volume music we can all agree on, or no music at all.
99.9% of the time, you should talk to the other person first.
BUT; I also feel about this like I feel about noises in apartment buildings. FUCKING GET USED TO IT. People who whine about every little noise, every little bump. :mad:
What’s next? Is he going to come crying to the boss because someone’s shoes are squeeking or he thinks they’re making too much noise as they walk past his cube? (Don’t think I’m kidding, I’ve seen people do it!)
For the other 0.1% of the time: I have worked places where the bosses had experienced so many problems with arguments that people were FORBIDDEN to directly address issues with other employees. Everything had to be taken to the bosses. One of those places was a Security company, where addressing any kind of issue with another employee was viewed as being disrespectful. :dubious:
Then well, you could be in the cube next to some serial killer or something and be afraid to talk to them…
Wow, my thought was I can’t believe there are professional offices where it’s considered OK to play music in your cube while you’re working. To me it it feels right up there with working in a bathrobe: sure, some people might be more productive that way, but then again others won’t be. And the chances of the neighbors being more productive is about zero.
Because I’ve been in Bricker’s place and had to play nursery school teacher with my group of ‘professionals’, I would go straight to the guy who’s playing the music. In principle.
In practice, I just wouldn’t give a crap about the other guy’s music and would probably just jam my iPod earbuds in my own ears and crank up the Zappa. I would try not to sing along, especially in the “Titties and Beer” chorus.
The only indoor places I ever worked that didn’t have a music fight played music over the store PA that corpoarte headquarters said would be played and nobody liked it, but lived with it. All factory and office settings had music fights, because the unconquerable faceless corporate couldn’t be blamed. Only after the owners decided what is going to be played did the fighting stop. No other issue caused as much in fighting as the music.
As the boss you’ve now mandated that headphones are alright. If he had gone to his fellow worker and made the headphone suggestion and that person refused, he’d either have to go musicless or go ahead and do it anyways and risk an all out battle. By avoiding the other worker and getting the compromise made official by a higher power, he’s clear for the future. If the other worker is bothered by the sounds emanating from the headphones, he’ll have to complain to the boss.
I’d personally venture to guess that almost all disputes in a workplace situation are best handled with the input of the boss.
You have two shithead employees. Nothing will improve. Cut your wrists now or join the Peace Corps. Really, sack 'em as soon as you can, they are both total dicks. I’m guessing both are under 30. Is that accurate?
was the quiet guy asian? that was my first thought (and not of asian descent, but actually asian). In many asian cultures (specifically Japanese, but I assume also Chinese and Korean and possibly others) it’s actually impolite to go directly to the person you have a problem with in order to resolve it, and the norm is to go over-his-head so to speak. It’s consider less confrontational and, therefore, the better route. Just throwing that out there as a possibility.
Reminds me of a time I was working in an office, headphones on, softly singing to myself*. I slowly start to notice people snickering at me, then I realize I’m singing along to the Ween song “bananas and blow” That was a bit embarassing
*[sub]I normally don’t do this sort of thing, but sometimes it happens. Usually my cubemate would just throw post-its or something at me, or ask me to stop, and i’d stop. We got on pretty well, though[/sub]
My worst cubemate, though, was a talker, one of those who constantly asked themselves rhetorical questions while staring at a spreadsheet or doing some other form or work. And not like muttering to herself, but talking in a voice that the people 2 cubes over could here (and would complain to me about). Sometimes, people just suck… damn mouthbreathers…
That was a bit embarassing