Should I find out who said this or let it go?

[Whoopsiedaisy1]

I'm 6 weeks in to a new job, office based, the office is pretty quiet but everyone seems very nice. Today, I had my 6 week review and it was all very positive apart from one thing..... I work in a team of seven people, our roles are very different and we work pretty much independently from each other. My 6 colleagues all have their desks together but my desk is away from everyone else. Every now and again they'll chit chat for a couple of mins but because I don't sit with them it's awkward to join in. Over the last week I thought I should make a bit more an effort to join in so I've started a few conversations i.e. how was your weekend? Someone is getting married so I asked her how her wedding plans are going etc.... Today in my review I was told the only criticism is someone in the team has commented that I'm too chatty!!! I'm so shocked, I'm not included in most of the conversations and I've made an effort to try and become part of the team and get to know them.

How would you handle this? Would you try and find out who said it or just let it go? I feel really paranoid now as I thought I was getting on well with everyone but clearly someone finds me irritating even though most days I don't speak at all.

I would be mentioning that sitting away from the team is isolating you somewhat and it would be easier to become a good team member without being distracting if you sat with them, that way you could easily join in the chat without having to make a point of it.

I would probably now, every time I was asked a social question, feign reluctance to answer on the grounds that I'd been censured for chatting.

That sounds like it was horrible to hear and it's a shame it was passed on to you as it obviously is the kind of thing that can undermine your confidence.

Your post reminds me of a situation we had at work a few months ago. Someone new joined our office and was clearly friendly and chatty and a nice person. However, I think it took a little while for her conversation not to feel distracting as -inevitably because she was new- she wasn't consciously aware of the rythyms of the usual office conversation. So, there might have been a conversation between colleagues first thing in the morning which typically would take e.g 5 mins before everyone then settled down to work but our new colleague would kind of keep going with it and keep asking questions (clearly because she was nice and friendly- nothing bad!) to the extent people were kept making conversation well past the time they usually would have stopped chatting and started working. But obviously because she was new, no one wanted to stop talking to her because it was important to make her feel welcome and be nice. So it just went on and on!

I think when you've worked in an office for a while you get a feel for how much to say and when. And also there's a difference between general chat/catching up between people who are familiar with each other VS 'making conversation' style chat amongst people who don't know each other so well. Sometimes the latter can be more distracting and less enjoyable as it takes more thought/effort so people notice it more. I guess it just takes a bit of time for the natural bonds to form and for conversation to feel more natural?

Situation at my work is fine now. Everyone's adjusted and new colleague seems more natural and less forced. She also picks up on the signs when people are concentrating so doesn't just start talking when she'd run the risk of distracting people. Similarly, I'm sure everyone else is better at picking up her signals/the rhythm of her working day too. Plus as everyone has got to know her, conversation is just more natural.

So the TL:DR version: sometimes when you're new, you can be more of a distraction than when you've been there a while. Not your fault at all but doesn't necessarily mean that your colleagues don't like you or are hypocritical or that you'll never be allowed to chat at work.

Plimsolls has put it so well
Please don't worry OP

This is pretty minor and something you can easily adjust.

You would cause a lot more concern and raised eyebrows if you overreact to such a small thing.

Do you find it difficult to accept feedback? This is someone's perception of you. What do you hope to achieve? Will you challenge them, give them the cold shoulder?

Really drop it. If you were accused of something far more consequential or serious then it would make sense to probe further.

You have created a positive impression so far. Don't ruin it over something so petty.

Are you sure you should draw attention to the fact that your colleagues chat for a couple of minutes every now and then? It might be misunderstood by them as if you're 'telling on them.'
Maybe better to give it a few more weeks of working at your desk. You could take opportunities to chat briefly in the loo, corridors, coffee machine, water cooler or whenever you happen to be near one or two of them. By then you'll probably have more idea who is receptive to your attempts to start a conversation.Good luck!

Like Plimsolls just said!

As you were OP....