We have a new person in our office. First it was funny, now it’s getting really annoying.
Our new person is of the type that when she has a problem it’s everyone’s responsibility to muck in and help her out. So she engages everyone around her in conversation about it. She could ask one person. She could try and figure it out herself. But no. It’s got to be a group effort on explaining to her how to work the flaming printer.
Now, that wouldn’t be so bad. But I’m not even in her immediate vicinity. I’m desks away. So why should it bother me? I’ll tell you why, because new person has a LOUD, PENETRATING VOICE. I can hear her better than the person next to her. Her immediate desk-mate must face a very real health hazard.
So today I’ve had to endure broadcasts about the mysteries of duplex printing. Not only on how she can’t work it out, but also a description of how she might work it out, how she did work it out and how great it was once she had worked it out!
I’ve had every tiny, minor detail of a one-sided telephone conversation, a good 50% of which was a repetition of the other 50%. Thank you so much. I know how big the file you wish to email is, I know where you intend emailing it, and I certainly know all about the consternation it caused when it bounced. Yeah, it bounced, that’s because despite repeating the address given to you a handful of times so that everyone within earshot (and that means everyone) could have written it out for you, you still managed to get it wrong. I knew the email address better than you. In fact I know so much about the whole damn document that I could have written it myself from scratch. In fact, I almost feel I have.
None of these things I need or want to know!! Why is it everyone else in this office are capable of having a conversation without sharing them with everyone?? Except you?? Are you doing this deliberately? Do you want everyone to know just how hard you are working, even when it involves revealing what a half-wit you are when it comes to office computer equipment? Or are you so lacking in self-awareness that you don’t realise you are talking at twice the volume of all around you??
I know it can sometimes be hard to settle into a new working environment. But I have to tell you, right now you are not winning any friends.
Speaking, actually, writing as someone whose voice can carry quite far, she may not be aware of how loud she is. I’ve been in any number of situations where I’ll be talking and suddenly I’ll look around and realize that people 300 feet away can hear me clear as day, and judging from the looks on their faces, they didn’t appreciate the language I used.
Might I suggest that you go up to her and very politely mention that it seems that her voice is carrying across the room and would she mind talking a little softer?
See how easy that was?*
*'Course if that doesn’t work, then you come up behind her and slit her throat. But try the polite approach first.
I did that when I received my first Walkman-type radio as a Christmas present. I would talk over the headphones and not be aware of how loud I was.
The woman in the OP could have some hearing damage and talks just loud enough to hear herself but, like me with my first pair of headphones, is not aware of how loud she really is. Or she could be like a coworker I have, she says she used to work around heavy machinery and is loud as a result of that.
It could also be that she has lived with someone with a hearing problem – my last boyfriend grew up living with his grandfather, who was quite hard of hearing. As a result, my ex tended not to notice when the TV was too loud, and when not thinking about it would raise the volume of his voice until he was practically shouting, because when he was younger he had to shout that loud for his grandfather to hear him.
Or, she may just be an irritating bink. Take your pick.
Futile, it sounds like your coworker needs a brain-to-mouth filter. Maybe you could pick one up for her the next time you’re at the hardware store.
And Eve, as long as we’re doing trades, I’ve got I grossly insult people and then pretend like I don’t speak English even though I’m the translator up for grabs. Takers? Anyone?
You know, some people cannot help it, we’re naturally loud. I’ve managed to learn a lower form of speaking, but my “natural” speaking voice is fairly loud. To compound that, I naturally project my voice. This is great for stage because I can be heard without shouting, but it also means that I can speak and be accused of shouting when I’ve done no such thing. It just happens that the wavelength of the sound of my voice is perfect for travelling long distances. When I use my low voice, unless I key it down to where I can barely be heard at all, it will still carry a great distance. (This is great for muttering obnoxious comments “under my breath” that are intended for the recipient’s hearing)
As far as her having to discuss absolutely everything, well, this is more her fault than the volume. Some of us are naturally chatty. Be sure that you approach her about it when you’re not in the heat of the moment or you could totally crush her or totally piss her off. Just come over to her shortly after an incident and say “sorry to bug you about this, but your voice really carries and I had a hard time finishing my last phone call, would you mind terribly speaking a little bit lower? Thanks :)”
Man, I gotta tell ya - like most of us - over the years I’ve met every sort of office freakozoid imaginable.
Nowadays, I own my own software business, and we have about 8 employees in our office - but recently, I’ve been playing Mr Mom working from home and minding our 4 month old daughter while my wife works in her business (which she also owns).
It’s bliss! It is such pure bliss. I can do all my work via the internet, and I never have to put up with office bullshit anymore. And these are my own employees! Hah!
Seriously though - the best way to get even with the loudmouth is to merely send her an email with a URL link to this thread.
Morrigoon’s suggestion for “intervention” is good - but the odds are that polite suggestion is not going to have any effect.
I work in the same department with one of these people (with her, it’s louder-than-necessary speaking voice plus loud laughter - and everything she hears is just hilarious. Rather broad hints (including the installation of a solid door separating work areas, which is only partially effective in noise blocking) have not adjusted the volume level.
Earplugs, cordless headphones, yoga…start planning your life adjustment. You have my sympathy.
Slice, I’ll take your insulter of you take my Whispering on hour long personal phone phone calls 3-4 times a day - by the way, could you help me? If I keep screwing up, both our heads will roll because you trained me… :rolleyes:
It could be worse. It could be personal calls (specifically, when she’s scolding the ex over a bad break-up, calling him and his new girlfriend, and his mother, complaining about how he owes her money, and going so far as to accuse them of credit card and mail fraud…). These calls go on for almost an hour! It makes work seem like a really bad soap opera, and it’s only going to get worse, I fear…
I worked with a woman like this once- I DREADED being in the breakroom with her because she was so freaking LOUD. And you could say over and over- “Sue, could you hold your voice down some?” and she would for about 1 minute, then back to full volume. She startled me all the time, you had to shut your office door to use the phone because she was so loud on her phone, and it just made everyone nuts.
I have no idea what all causes this- my brother in law has mental retardation and trouble with the volume of his voice. You can tell when he’s really making an effort to control it, and it still is like a loud whisper. Maybe it’s a psychological/physiological cause? I have no idea, but loud talkers make me very nervous.
