To think people should be more considerate in shared offices

[atthewelles]

There's some renovations going on where I work so we've all had to shuffle around a bit for a few weeks and four of us have ended up sharing a room. One girl is constantly playing music at a low level on her speakers; has two mobiles which both have loud irritating ringtones and one or other is always beeping or ringing or playing out blasts of music; and talks really really loudly on the phone and to people who pop in to see her.
We actually had to ask her to turn the music on her speakers down as it was quite loud and she was quite huffy about it.

AIBU to think that in a shared office mobile phones should be kept on a low ring tone; playing music or having a radio on should not be allowed unless by common consent; and people should talk quietly on the phone?

YANBU

Phones should be on vibrate or as you say, a low volume tone.

As for music coming out of speakers, that must be really distracting.

can she not wear headphones then she groove and you can have silence?

Not talking quietly on the phone - I'm quite sure I've been inadvertently guilty of this, but playing music in a shared office??? Absolutely not! Can she wear headphones, or is that not compatible with her job?

If she's not doing anything about it, and the sharing situation is likely to continue for a while, can you raise it with her line manager?

Yeah, headphones are a must, it's ridiculous to have music coming out of speakers when people are trying to work. Sometimes I listen to the radio with my headphones but aways make sure even then my colleagues can't hear.

Not sure about the speaking quietly on the phone...depends on the line, where they are speaking to etc. We make a lot of international calls from this office so sometimes people have to speak reasonably loudly to be heard.

Have they started eating yet?? Crunch!!! :)

absolutely, I share an office with a guy who is not as familiar with clothes washing as I would like, not BO but a peculiar mouldy kind of smell, like an old house. He slurps his tea and bangs the cup down and when he eats... urgh I usually have to go off and talk to the people in the office next door for a while or put my headphones on.

Oh Stepaway! I have the same issue.
Sit next to a guy that stinks today and he cracks his teeth and jaw all day long as well.
It's like sitting next to someone who cracks their knuckles all day long.
Sometimes it's so bad I have to put my ipod in my ears or I'd go insane.
You need to tell them to keep it down and if they want music to use headphones. Easier said than done - I KNOW!!!!
We aren't allowed music here - boooo!

I think I will suggest the headphones and stamp on her mobiles the next time I have to listen to the theme from the Onedin Line

hellsbells thank goodness for my ipod is all I can say