To think people who listen to phone messages on loudspeaker in shared offices...

[Behindthepaintedgarden]

are a PITA. Likewise people who are constantly shouting into mobile phones, or playing music on their PC without using earphones. I'm trying to write a report and can't think with the noise from a couple of colleagues.

AIBU or are they being inconsiderate?

It's a work place so inappropriate.

Tell them to shut up. Where's your manager?

Could they need witnesses to what's being said? Depends on the kind of work perhaps.

Give me their number, I ll leave such a cringeworthy embarrassing incriminating message, they ll never do it again!

Don't tempt me Dorothy .

I did once ask if the music could be turned off. I didn't get a very friendly reaction from the culprit

YANBU, it's really inconsiderate.

There was someone who did this in an office I worked in a few years ago, it was a very small hotdesking area (about eight desks in all and quite an enclosed space); but not just listening to messages, entire conversations and conference calls. Very often if I was on the phone people would ask me what on earth the noise in the background was! He jus wouldn't accept that it made working (and phone calls) really difficult for everyone else.

I got the rage the other week when someone in my office refused to use his headset and had an hour-long telecon on the speakerphone. It was so annoying that I eventually put a polite post-it on his desk asking him to use his headset. Which he ignored. Sigh.

Its coz they are very important people

It s very rude and thoughtless. I once sat near quite an elderly solicitor/legal person between Cambridge and London on the train.He worked the entire journey, making several phone calls on speakerphone about somebody's will. Names were said and spelt aloud, addresses and dates given. And goes without saying, he had a very loud clear voice. I couldnt believe how unprofessional he was being in a crowded carriage. Diplomas in phone etiquette required!

Playing music is really annoying! I can't work with any volume of sound at all, that would drive me round the bend.

I'd be fine with listening to other people's messages though, it appeals to my inner nosey parker

one of the higher-ups used to use her speakerphone for conference calls...I think she just couldn't cope with the move from our old building where she had her own office.

I find open plan way too distracting, hard to focus. Sharing an office with one or two is fine most of the time, especially if you're on the same project, but otherwise it does nothing for productivity!

Though today, it's the sound of the guy next to me typing which is making me want to scream. I swear, he is typing relentlessly.

There's about three people in my near vicinity who do things which on a bad day make me absolutely stabby with rage but on a good day I can ignore.

We've just had an email sent around where I work on Open Plan office etiquette and the first topic is "Sound". These are the guidelines that have been circulated:

1. Set your mobile phone to a low ring volume or vibrate only
2. Before leaving your desk for long periods, turn your desk phone voicemail on.
3. Avoid creating unnecessary noise.

Might be worth agreeing something like that where you work perhaps?