# My coworkers talk so much and do no work **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 29, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680 "2009-07-29T16:31:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/21 "2009-07-29T20:26:17Z")
I have it so good right now. I’m stuck in the back cubicle next to the printers. It’s mildly distracting when the printers start up, but a printer running all day is less annoying than a human mouth doing the same. The two cubes nearest to me are empty because people left and weren’t replaced. The more distant cubes are inhabited by relatively quiet computer jockeys. But alas, this is too good to last. We’re wasting space. My company, in its infinite wisdom, is going to consolidate us into “collaborative work spaces” with low walls, no privacy, and Calcutta-level population densities. My only hope is to find another job before the move date. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/22 "2009-07-29T20:33:45Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > One of my other threads addresses tangentially having to go to someone’s house as a “team-building exercise”. I hate being forced to go to anyone’s house. There’s just no way in hell I’d do this. NO WAY. The nerve! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/23 "2009-07-29T20:59:28Z")
We have one part timer that everybody just LOOOVES. She doesn’t do a damned bit of work, but goddamn can you not ignore her when she talks, which is all the time. She’s incredibly loud, judgmental, and lazy, but she’s just everybody’s damned favorite person in the world. On Thursdays I can’t take my lunch break reading at my desk because I know she’s going to come in and distract and annoy the living hell out of me. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/24 "2009-07-30T01:15:28Z")
This is why I’m really happy my office is located where it is. I’m not isolated, but neither the location nor the layout of my office lends itself to casual dropping in for a chat, much less cubicle-surfing. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/25 "2009-07-30T01:22:40Z")
When I was in corporate Hell, I was subjected to the “en masse” smoke-break. These cows would actually go around and round up people to go downstairs, stand around and smoke, gossip and whatnot. Usually about 5-7 people, for about 20 minutes, about 4-5 times a day. Meanwhile, me and the other few non-smokers were left to handle the phones, process the deals and generally “work”. Of course the alternative, I have discovered, is watching “Law & Order” reruns with no health insurance. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/26 "2009-07-30T02:29:43Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > There’s just no way in hell I’d do this. NO WAY. The nerve! We only have 5 people in the office so to stay out of something like this looks really really bad. I’m still trying to come up with a way to get out of it. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/27 "2009-07-30T03:40:48Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > We have one part timer that everybody just LOOOVES. She doesn’t do a damned bit of work, but goddamn can you not ignore her when she talks, which is all the time. She’s incredibly loud, judgmental, and lazy, but she’s just everybody’s damned favorite person in the world. On Thursdays I can’t take my lunch break reading at my desk because I know she’s going to come in and distract and annoy the living hell out of me. God, I could have posted that. How do these loud ‘n’ lazy types keep their jobs? The designated l ‘n’ l at my workplace has just returned from a fortnight’s annual leave. The last two weeks have been bliss. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/28 "2009-07-30T14:03:44Z")
Aaaaaaaand…they are talking again, loudly enough to drown anything else out. They have been since they all got in. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/29 "2009-07-30T15:16:49Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > We only have 5 people in the office so to stay out of something like this looks really really bad. I’m still trying to come up with a way to get out of it. I feel for you. I mean, what if this person has a horrible husband or a mean dog or shrieking kids, or any number of things that you would not choose to subject yourself to? What if you’re allergic to their cat? OMG that is just the worst thing ever. If they MUST create bonding events, they should do it on neutral territory. ---
**Author:** ![Canadiangirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Canadiangirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadiangirl)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/30 "2009-07-30T15:24:53Z")
I’m surrounded by early 20 something’s. Conversation, repeated daily, “like, I was, like, going to buddy’s house, and, like, I was talking on my cell phone and I, like”. Or, “like, I’m ssssoooo pissed off, like, my girlfriend and I were talking, and, like, all of a sudden, like” What is it these days with everyone being pissed off, irritated or mad? Or the word “like”? Makes me want to scream!!! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/31 "2009-07-30T15:48:48Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I feel for you. I mean, what if this person has a horrible husband or a mean dog or shrieking kids, or any number of things that you would not choose to subject yourself to? What if you’re allergic to their cat? OMG that is just the worst thing ever. If they MUST create bonding events, they should do it on neutral territory. I’ll tell you what bothers me - this woman’s office is a _mess_. I mean, stuff piled up everywhere, boxes and DVDs and VHS movies and clothes and crap that should be at home. This is her _office_. I shudder to think what her home must be like - and I am supposed to eat there?! ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/32 "2009-07-30T16:45:45Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I shudder to think what her home must be like - and I am supposed to eat there?! This would be my concern. These are the same people who see nothing wrong with manhandling all the donuts in the box before taking one, or who don’t understand why it’s bad to sneeze/cough on your hands…and I’m supposed to eat something from their kitchen? ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/33 "2009-07-30T17:28:15Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I got no recourse, being the quiet one. It’s always the quiet ones… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/34 "2009-07-30T17:32:26Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I don’t object to working late but if I finish all of my work in my alloted time I shouldn’t ever have to because someone else chronically didn’t finish theirs. Being a morning person (sorry), I don’t just object to working late: I know, positively, and it’s easy to prove, that after a certain hour I’m just worth shit as a worker. So having me stay late because someone else couldn’t be arsed do his work on time isn’t just bad for my morale: it produces worse work than if I’d been able to do it during regular work hours! Don’t get me started on bosses who expect me to stay late with nothing to do, in order to… dunnow, make sure that the person working late doesn’t feel lonely or something. I had two of those and they aren’t anywhere near my list of “favorite bosses.” Oh, and I would like to make sure our esteemed Moderators know that I am most definitely not a sock of **Athena** ’s, although I’ve been known to be on track (even ahead) while the rest had managed to get behind. In my case, it was linked to time spent reading up on soccer (me none, they several hours a day), days off with “the morning after the night before” (me none, they one per week at least) and in one case (who didn’t care about soccer or drink heavily) just plain ol’ inefficiency. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/35 "2009-07-30T17:35:08Z")
You could call in sick that day. Just sayin’… ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/36 "2009-07-30T18:37:53Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I talk too, but for 10-15 minutes and then I go back to work. Er, is this during a scheduled break? To me, 10-15 minutes sounds like a hella long time to be not-working while on the clock. I’m sure your coworkers are worse, and I don’t want to sound like an ass, but if I worked with you I’d probably lump you in with all the others. Some days I’m glad I work in a factory. People find all kinds of ways of being lazy (the two most popular being “pretending to be an idiot” and “actually being an idiot”), but it’s hard to get away with chatting for more than 30 seconds at a time. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/37 "2009-07-30T19:54:40Z")
The 10-15 minutes is usually when we are all heating up our lunches or whatever in the breakroom. And honestly, one also has to look at the culture of the office. If I didn’t talk even that much I’d surely be labeled as a snot and too good for everybody else. I am not - I’m easy-going. But we work in an office, and an office of all women, and it’s expected to at least chat some, during the slow times of the year anyway. I am almost looking forward to event season again so the talking will go down. I wouldn’t care if they talked ALL DAY if they: 1. Finished whatever work they have to do that relates to me 2. Kept their voices down just a bit 3. IKept their embarrasing personal conversations to themselves Dolores, I am considering it - but again, it would be distressingly obvious. I may still do it, and take a few days sick time off. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/38 "2009-07-30T23:03:31Z")
Oh my fucking GOD. The woman just stood literally two feet behind me at the desk for an HOUR chattering a mile a minute with one of the security guards and a patron. RIGHT THERE. So since I was doing my job it was unescapable. Jesus Christ, one more minute and I’d be walking out of here wearing her skin for a suit. On the other hand, she’s about to go and take her hour long break with all her little buddies, so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/39 "2009-07-30T23:21:07Z")
Since I’m now on a three day week, I only have to chat to the cleaner on Mondays since Thursdays I’m not in. The chat is nice, but I always have to cut her off to start working. She can chat all the way through her work but I can’t. Today being Thursday - I’m off - so what does she do - she calls me on my cell. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680/40 "2009-07-30T23:31:12Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I’ll tell you what bothers me - this woman’s office is a _mess_. I mean, stuff piled up everywhere, boxes and DVDs and VHS movies and clothes and crap that should be at home. This is her _office_. I shudder to think what her home must be like - and I am supposed to eat there?! I have a friend whose office looks like that, and I can assure you that her home is much, much worse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-coworkers-talk-so-much-and-do-no-work/504680.md?page=3)