# What To Do About Loud Co-Worker? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786 "2018-08-17T15:34:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/21 "2018-08-17T22:45:37Z")
Get those kind of earmuffs that construction workers use when operating a jackhammer. They look ridiculous but work really well. I can’t remember how the ratings work but I think you want something over 30db. ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/22 "2018-08-18T03:41:52Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > Could you use a noise level sensor which lights up when the noise is above a certain level? I’m sure they have them, as there have to be noisy workplaces which need to monitor it. You could put one in your cube and get the feedback automatically. That’s a thought! I’m long retired now, so no longer disturbing the cube farm. I still catch myself in restaurants (or other public places) needing to consciously “turn the volume down.” My family notices when I focus and switch to “indoor voice” - which is normal for most people, but not my normal. For what it’s worth, my really loud voice has twice been an incredible asset in locating lost children who could hear me but not the other rescuers. Not much of a “silver lining” - but it helps me on days when I’m ashamed. And the nursing home patients I visit love me because I’m the only one who is loud enough that they can hear every word… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Astraea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@Astraea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astraea)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/23 "2018-08-18T10:36:44Z")
as\_u\_wish: I suffer from the same thing! I just get so excited and the volume goes up. I try to be aware of it but I think I did it again the other day and it’s so embarrassing when i notice myself doing it. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/24 "2018-08-18T12:24:41Z")
I found a noise sensor that lights up when it gets loud. It was designed for classrooms to help kids be quiet: [http://www.yackertracker.com/](http://www.yackertracker.com/). It looks like a stoplight with green/yellow/red lights that be set to come on at different noise levels. If the coworker is reasonable, perhaps she’d be willing to have one of those in her cube. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/25 "2018-08-18T19:13:38Z")
> [@as\_u\_wish](#): > > Hi. I’m your loud co-worker. I know I’m loud. I work on it. But when I get excited, or nervous, or tired, my volume goes up, up, up. In my early years of work, I got complaints through channels - but I really did not know how to fix the problem. I’d try. I’d fail. > > As I got more mature, I learned to take the initiative and talk to my nearby cubicle mates. I’d ask for their help - when I’m too loud, just pop over and make a hand motion of turning down the volume. I NEEDed this help. I WELCOMEd it. Some would just say “Hey, as\_u\_wish - indoor voice…” - they were able to do this knowing it didn’t hurt my feelings. > [snip] I’m the same. I’ve asked everyone to let me know when I get loud. A single word or a simple hand gesture will make me aware, and it will not hurt my feelings. In fact, I will be grateful. Friends and family often let me know, but co-workers rarely did (I’m retired). So I recommend that you give your coworker a chance. Get up the nerve to speak to her and see if she would appreciate a little help with the problem. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/26 "2018-08-18T20:30:56Z")
If HR has already talked to this woman, she knows she’s loud. She had plenty opportunity to ask the OP to let her know when she’s being loud, and she hasn’t done so. So while I think the OP should let her know when she’s getting a little carried away with the cackling, I don’t think she should get her hopes up high that it will help. Some people are loud and unapologetic about it. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/27 "2018-08-18T21:02:23Z")
Thanks, everyone. I think I had my one shot with HR, so I’m just going to have to suck it up. The next time I’m on a conference call and she gets loud I will speak up. Other than that…welcome to CubeLife. ---
**Author:** ![Brawndo\_with\_Electrolytes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@Brawndo\_with\_Electrolytes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brawndo_with_Electrolytes)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/28 "2018-08-19T01:25:56Z")
All of this “they’ll fire you instead” talk makes this one of the most depressing threads I’ve seen ever. Equally so whether it’s true (dysfunction everywhere), or false (everybody is a coward). As a counter, I’ll offer two things: One: Looks like you’re in Florida, which I don’t study closely, but in my state, the unemployment rate is currently lower than it’s ever been since they started keeping records. Another job, maybe even in a place where people actually act like professionals, wouldn’t be that hard to find. Two: Someone who talks loudly about bullshit at work is probably also unproductive and sloppy. You would get more mileage out of complaining about those things, if they’re true. And if you live in an ordered universe with a god. heh heh. Not to mention she’s hampering the productivity of 15 or 20 people in the immediate area. It’s doubtful she’s contributing enough value to make up for derailing 20 people’s concentration. Though I don’t know what you do, or where you work, or whether concentration matters. But the thing you probably lack in either case is data, so you’d need that. And the support of the manager. And that manager would need to be supported, or at least left alone, by their manager. In my workplace people like that (loud, distracting) can get a pass IF they’re productive. If not, they get shitcanned and everybody is like “thank goodness.” Makes me think maybe I should hang onto this job even though I’m a bit underpaid. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/29 "2018-08-19T12:21:18Z")
> [@Brawndo\_with\_Electrolytes](#): > > Someone who talks loudly about bullshit at work is probably also unproductive and sloppy. You would get more mileage out of complaining about those things, if they’re true. And if you live in an ordered universe with a god. heh heh. Not to mention she’s hampering the productivity of 15 or 20 people in the immediate area. It’s doubtful she’s contributing enough value to make up for derailing 20 people’s concentration. Though I don’t know what you do, or where you work, or whether concentration matters. But the thing you probably lack in either case is data, so you’d need that. And the support of the manager. And that manager would need to be supported, or at least left alone, by their manager. In my workplace people like that (loud, distracting) can get a pass IF they’re productive. If not, they get shitcanned and everybody is like “thank goodness.” I have an engineer working for me who doesn’t do anything productive. He doesn’t do research, he doesn’t do analysis, he doesn’t design anything, he doesn’t test anything, and he never writes reports. _Nothing_. He spends all day going from office to office and bullshitting with people. I tried to get rid of him. I almost lost my job over it. ---
**Author:** ![Brawndo\_with\_Electrolytes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@Brawndo\_with\_Electrolytes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brawndo_with_Electrolytes)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/30 "2018-08-19T18:48:53Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > He spends all day going from office to office and bullshitting with people. Sounds like he’s gunning for an executive position then. And (since you can’t fire him) not doing too badly at that! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/31 "2018-08-19T19:02:43Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Other than that…welcome to CubeLife. This is pretty much it. When the management decided to go for an office without sound barriers that’s when they made the decision that they don’t care about this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/32 "2018-08-20T18:22:37Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > When she’s loud, pretend you’re on the phone and say loudly “SORRY. A COW-ORKER WAS TALKING. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT?” If all your coworkers do this, she’ll get the hint. > > When she starts laughing, yell over “OMG! WHAT’S SO FUNNY?” > > Get some of those Bose Noise-Cancelling headphones and keep them in your desk. When she’s loud, get them out of your drawer, put them on, and slam the drawer so loud it makes a big bang. > > But the reality is that she’s inconsiderate and will likely never really change. Get the Bose headphones and just forget about her. Those headphones are great. And you can use them other places like on an airplane and such. Take them on a flight and it’ll be so silent you’ll think you’re sitting at home. I don’t think being a sarcastic jerk the person is going to help too much. Furthermore I disagree with you that she’s inconsiderate (though she may never change). Some people are just loud. Sadly, I’m one of them too. And so is one of my daughters. My brother always said I could whisper in sawmill and people would tell me to be quiet. This actually turned out to be true in a way. I used to be a beer vendor at Texas Rangers games; and I had a fan tell me to stop yelling so loud! :eek: I was just saying “Cooolllllddd beeeerr!!” Something about my voice just travels across a room. > [@as\_u\_wish](#): > > Hi. I’m your loud co-worker. I know I’m loud. I work on it. But when I get excited, or nervous, or tired, my volume goes up, up, up. In my early years of work, I got complaints through channels - but I really did not know how to fix the problem. I’d try. I’d fail. > > As I got more mature, I learned to take the initiative and talk to my nearby cubicle mates. I’d ask for their help - when I’m too loud, just pop over and make a hand motion of turning down the volume. I NEEDed this help. I WELCOMEd it. Some would just say “Hey, as\_u\_wish - indoor voice…” - they were able to do this knowing it didn’t hurt my feelings. > > Over time, I learned to tell new supervisors right away about my problem. I learned to request the cubicle by the restroom or photocopier–places where I’d be least disruptive. But the problem was never fully fixable because on occasion I’d still get excited, nervous or tired… > > So, possibly, POSSIBLY, an honest (though uncomfortable) private talk with your coworker might result in a similar collaborative arrangement rather than passive aggressive approaches, shaming or “going through (ineffective) channels” of supervisors or HR. I think this is a great idea, and I’ve done it myself. My neighbors in my office can give me the high sign, and I’ll tone it down. I’m not trying to be rude or inconsiderate; and I’ll do what I can to be quiet. > [@ioioio](#): > > I’m the same. I’ve asked everyone to let me know when I get loud. A single word or a simple hand gesture will make me aware, and it will not hurt my feelings. In fact, I will be grateful. Friends and family often let me know, but co-workers rarely did (I’m retired). > > So I recommend that you give your coworker a chance. Get up the nerve to speak to her and see if she would appreciate a little help with the problem. Yep. Loud people know their loud. They don’t want to ruin your day. A lot of times they don’t realize their volume has gone up. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/33 "2018-08-20T18:41:46Z")
I’m extremely good at blocking out other people and going into my own world (almost to my detriment - my wife HATES that about me 😃 ), but at this point I’d invest in a good pair of noise cancelling headphones. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/34 "2018-08-20T19:14:17Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Yep. Loud people know their loud. They don’t want to ruin your day. A lot of times they don’t realize their volume has gone up. Here’s an honest question I hope you don’t take offense to: Why didn’t you try to do something about it? If you know you’re loud, why don’t you make a concerted effort to talk quieter? I can certainly understand a momentarily lapse of concentration, but when it happens over and over, it seems like it would be best if that person would try harder. Especially when this person is working in a cubicle farm and even normal conversation has a tendency to carry. I could maybe understand her not thinking when talking about work, but it seems like a lot of her conversations are about social topics. If nothing else, she could go somewhere away from the cube farm when she wanted to talk about non-work topics. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/35 "2018-08-20T19:18:57Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > My guess is, if they do take your complaint seriously, she will end up in her own office where the door can be closed. There is no justice. This actually happened to me. I have a voice that really carries, especially when I am talking on the phone. When I was in a cubicle there were issues. My boss promoted me to manager (no increase in pay) and assigned me a direct report - so that they could put me in an office with a door I could shut when on the phone. No toes were trampled since I was the senior member/technical lead of the group. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/36 "2018-08-20T19:23:47Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I have an engineer working for me who doesn’t do anything productive. He doesn’t do research, he doesn’t do analysis, he doesn’t design anything, he doesn’t test anything, and he never writes reports. _Nothing_. He spends all day going from office to office and bullshitting with people. I worked with one of them during one of my brief forays into the defense industry. Retired Navy guy. We used to joke that his coffee cup was surgically attached to his hand. On the other hand, I sometimes go into the wandering around bullshitting mode. Sometimes very useful cross-pollination can come of that - two or three of my patents came from ideas I came up with for other teams while bullshitting with them. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/37 "2018-08-20T19:24:16Z")
There’s a couple of particularly loud people in my office. They put those two next to each other, and put empty cubes for visitors or those like me who work from home all but one day a week. When we come in, we just find a vacant cube. I know one person knows she’s loud. Her manager has discussed it with her. She just doesn’t care. StG ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/38 "2018-08-20T20:30:21Z")
If you do not outrank the head of HR, then HR is never EVER EVER your friend. Ever. HR is a profit-maximizing department, not a help desk. Anything that HR would really be willing to help you with, you could just go to the police and get the same result. Every time that you as an employee need HR’s help, their job is to make your request go away. Notice I did not say “make the problem go away” - but make the need for help go away, in the most cost-effective manner possible. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/39 "2018-08-20T20:50:17Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I discovered the hard way that complaining about a coworker can ultimately get _you_ in trouble. > > My advice: wear ear plugs. What he said. You went to HR last time, now it’s somebody else’s turn. Do not be the one to complain again. In fact, don’t mention the problem again at work, just let it go. And invest in some noise canceling head phones. There will be one of these in every office, you can’t escape it, you have to cope. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786/40 "2018-08-20T22:13:17Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > If you do not outrank the head of HR, then HR is never EVER EVER your friend. Ever. HR is a profit-maximizing department, not a help desk. > > Anything that HR would really be willing to help you with, you could just go to the police and get the same result. > > Every time that you as an employee need HR’s help, their job is to make your request go away. Notice I did not say “make the problem go away” - but make the need for help go away, in the most cost-effective manner possible. I agree HR is rarely (if ever) your friend. As stated by you and **Stranger on a Train** , the primary purpose of HR is not to help you, but to diffuse any and all situations that could result in the company being sued. HR exists to protect the company, _not you_. HR will tell you, “If there is any problem, any problem whatsoever, please come talk to us. We have professionals who will help you resolve your problem. Everything will be kept confidential. Please, please, please come talk to us when you have a problem.” It’s all bullshit. What they’re _really_ saying is, “If you have a problem, do not talk to a lawyer. Instead, come talk with us, and we will use your words to build a case against you.” If you believe you are the victim of a serious infraction such as sexual harassment, do not, not, not, not, NOT talk to HR. At least not right away. Or anyone else at work. Talk to a lawyer first. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-about-loud-co-worker/819786.md?page=3)