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AIBU?

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Original poster

Radios in a office

105 replies

TalkToTheHand123 · 16/08/2025 21:03

Hi. Last few months I've been working from home but recently been told to return to the office.

Anyone struggle to concentrate in an office with a radio on? I feel terrible complaining / being a party pooper, but can't help losing my cool as it makes me go crazy. Does anyone else struggle?

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Original poster
TalkToTheHand123 · 22/08/2025 08:34

I once hit the wire as a joke and a team manager went mad. There's usually cctv. Some people are just pure ignorant. People would behave worse as well. Always on their phones, texting, googling. I didn't mind them not doing any work, but it was very distracting in a highly target driven environment where I struggled.

I just started to notice the clock ticking. Sometimes I don't notice it, sometimes when a bit stressed, it's all I can hear.

At my last place it got to a situation where I was the only one allowed to wear earphones. I was pleased and releaved, but felt like an outcast.

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DarklingIlisten · 22/08/2025 02:21

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Original poster
TalkToTheHand123 · 21/08/2025 15:28

LT1982 · 21/08/2025 13:17

Maybe you need the next level up then. The total noise block ones. I gave those too but only for sleeping. They shouldnt hurt your ears, maybe you need different sized ear bits. Mine came with a few different sizes

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Hi and thanks for the suggestion. There was no issue with the fitting, just got sore as wearing them for many hours per day. I have super hearing so would need to be out of this world, but also need to be able to hear office phone ringing etc.

Currently I'm in an office alone and the other office doesn't seem to use it. It appears the use of the radio was a one off (touch wood).

One thing though that wound me up also was there was a couple of people who liked to use the loud speaker on their phone when calling a number with a long hold time! This on top of having a radio on and yapping away.

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LT1982 · 21/08/2025 13:17

TalkToTheHand123 · 19/08/2025 00:05

I tried these in the past. I could still hear enough to massively be distracted and made my ears sore wearing for so long.

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Maybe you need the next level up then. The total noise block ones. I gave those too but only for sleeping. They shouldnt hurt your ears, maybe you need different sized ear bits. Mine came with a few different sizes

DarklingIlisten · 20/08/2025 01:53

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This has been withdrawn by MNHQ due to privacy concerns.

WaneyEdge · 19/08/2025 23:07

Sweetandsaltycaroline · 18/08/2025 13:29

My DDs preferred station to listen to in the car is Capital but we have a standing joke where the challenge is to do a journey (of usually less than an hour) without hearing Sabrina Carpenter or Benson Boon. It's virtually impossible!

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Absolute (the decades stations like ‘80s or ‘90s) or Greatest Hits are your friends!

Original poster
TalkToTheHand123 · 19/08/2025 13:45

Lydz123 · 19/08/2025 08:07

Why not try some loop earplugs? Block out some noise to be able to concentrate while your coworkers enjoy the radio.

Because it doesn't block out enough and makes your ears sore after a lot of use.

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Original poster
TalkToTheHand123 · 19/08/2025 13:43

Thissickbeat · 19/08/2025 08:45

This radio lover can't cope without the background noise. Working in silence stops me focusing as I can only hear my own thoughts. I can't wear ear buds as I have to take calls.

How often do you take calls? You can take earbuds out of your ears to answer a phone.

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Thissickbeat · 19/08/2025 08:45

This radio lover can't cope without the background noise. Working in silence stops me focusing as I can only hear my own thoughts. I can't wear ear buds as I have to take calls.

Sessanta · 19/08/2025 08:44

I had my own office for years and played music most of the time I wasn’t having meetings. The background noise helps me concentrate on what I am doing.

Following a reorganisation I got moved to an open plan office where out-loud music or radios were not appropriate, although multiple loud conversations and other distracting noises were the norm.

Noise cancelling headphones were handed out but I found them uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods. I left.

ShoeeMcfee · 19/08/2025 08:23

Many years ago, I used to work in an office where the radio was on all day. I hated it.

Summerbay23 · 19/08/2025 08:18

No way I could concentrate with the radio on, not to mention the disagreements about what to listen to?!?! Who gets to choose?

Surely those want the radio either listen through EarPods or not at all? I love music but at home, not in a professional environment.

Lydz123 · 19/08/2025 08:07

Why not try some loop earplugs? Block out some noise to be able to concentrate while your coworkers enjoy the radio.

DarklingIlisten · 19/08/2025 00:12

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Original poster
TalkToTheHand123 · 19/08/2025 00:05

LT1982 · 18/08/2025 19:59

I wear loop earplugs in the office. The mid level ones that block background noise but still hear if someone calls your name. Absolutely game changing

I tried these in the past. I could still hear enough to massively be distracted and made my ears sore wearing for so long.

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DarklingIlisten · 18/08/2025 23:42

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ due to privacy concerns.

LT1982 · 18/08/2025 19:59

I wear loop earplugs in the office. The mid level ones that block background noise but still hear if someone calls your name. Absolutely game changing

Sweetandsaltycaroline · 18/08/2025 18:05

I wonder if/how much difference it makes wither you're doing an admin, or desk based job rather than something physical?

I always feel like I need background noise but I work in a fairly noisy (non office) environment. I'm not working with words or figures but doing something fairly skilled, we chat quite a bit too. I suppose it wouldn't seem that odd if a decorater, builder, mechanic etc had the radio on.

When I was a teen I worked in a shop and they had really dreadful music on - not recognisable stuff but their own shit lift style music on a loop so hearing the same thing hourly but I didnt find it too off putting

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 18/08/2025 15:30

The obvious answer is that those who want music/ noise listen to it through their headphones.

Those who don’t want it get to have relative quiet.

Those who want background noise don’t get to force it on others when it’s so easy for them to have their own private noise.

Whatever next?!

BauhausOfEliott · 18/08/2025 15:14

I find it hard to concentrate with no background noise at all - but I would struggle with having music radio on in the office. At home I listen to podcasts or music that a) I actually like and b) doesn't have any lyrics. I couldn't sit there all day listening to, eg, Radio 2 or something. In the office I'm fine with general office hubbub and if there's overly distracting chat, I'll put earbuds in and listen to something of my own.

Original poster
TalkToTheHand123 · 18/08/2025 15:02

They'd just turn it back on and I got told by the manager it was to stay on at my last place.
Today though I popped in for a few mins. No radio in the hall and no radio on in the office. My current managers don't seem to bother with it touch wood.
Working from home at the moment. Had to turn the tv and music off as too distracting.

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Glitchymn1 · 18/08/2025 14:52

I banned them in mine, there is no way you can concentrate with a radio or podcast in the ‘background’. Not everyone wants it on and it wasn’t a thing pre covid. Fine with talking but not all day, having a mobile on for emergencies etc

UrbanFan · 18/08/2025 14:49

Just turn it off and say you don't want it on all day. You are at work not a popularity contest.

RedPony1 · 18/08/2025 14:47

We love the radio on in our office! Hate silence
It's low enough we can still talk normally and we turn it up for a banger!
Our premises already pays for the licence as my depts have a radio on.

BrokenArmworries · 18/08/2025 13:45

I cannot work in silence!
I hate a very quiet office.
luckily I work in a sensible office where we all agree to have the radio on. Sometimes it’s radio2, sometimes it’s absolute 90’s/ Rock. At least they have a no repeat guarantee.

id hate to work in a very quiet office.

on the odd occasion we don’t have the radio on, I’ll put my headphones on for music / background noise.