Egg eating colleague

[MoonlightDancer]

Posting here for traffic...I work in a mixed office...

Colleague 1 eats egg salad everyday and stinks the office out to high heaven!! Complains she has problems with her bones and refuses to have the window open, suggested could we swap desks so she's not near the window! No she's had the desk for years and likes to see out and stink everyone out to death!

Colleague 2 Farts loudly like a trooper absolutely wreaks! Thinks because they apologise loudly it's ok!

Colleague 3 EVERYTHING is a drama even opening the post! incredibly loud and obnoxious can't hear myself think!

I spend less time in the office and on corridors but I'm now behind on so much I don't know what to do!

I've been out of work taking bits here and there to get by so now I've got this I can't afford to quit but it's driving me insane!

There's lots of nasty toxic bitching going on with colleague 3 with everyone about everyone a type that as soon as you leave the door you know you're being talked about! I had to ask gently for them to be quiet yesterday whilst on the phone as could not hear a word...cue death stares!

Colleague 1 loves it when I get something wrong or mess up, they sit their staring across at me I sit with my back to her (the way the desks are arranged thank god) when I turn around she is staring at me smirking...she is very vocal that she doesn't care as she's been there a long time and is friends with HR...I just feel drained and don't want to get up everyday to go in but we need to dig ourselves out of debt this wage has really helped this last month and taken major pressure off DH. I just don't know what to do...I'm going to have to quit?

Unless you all have some ideas on how to cope with this until Christmas! The job is temporary but the option is there for permanent if I want it! I am still looking for jobs and applying in the mean time but my motivation has gone!!

I've asked if there are any spare offices/desks I can work from...nothing available...working from home is not an option...I spoke to my manager yesterday they just said yes we're aware of the issues and dealing with them! Past members of staff have complained but it seems nothing has been done hence why people leave!

Tbh you can't really moan about what lunch people eat!

Maybe not but I banned a member of my department from bringing her stinking pot noodles into my classroom!

@Ponoka7 sometimes I can 'feel' someone staring at me and it's her other times, I walk back into the room and it's just natural to glance around the room and she's staring at me with her usual smirk...yesterday it was a message that should have been passed on...it wasn't...I missed the start of a review meeting...People were looking for me...I went to sit in my car for an escape...she swore blind she'd left the paper on my desk and I must have swept it up in my paper work I had nothing 🙄

iI am still looking for jobs and applying in the mean time but my motivation has gone!!

Sorry, run that by me again? You can't stand your colleagues and the job's dead-end but you've run out of motivation to leave for something better?

If it is that bad, you could look for Christmas temp job like the Royal Mail or the big shops. You would still be earning.

@daisychain01 sorry basically I am still applying for jobs but my motivation is getting less and less everyday as I'm exhausted by the negativity and atmosphere.

With my qualifications and experience temp jobs won't touch me...3 jobs have turned me down and been honest I'm o we qualified they are looking for more uni leavers or school leavers.

I love working in schools it's just this isn't the right school for me jobs are like gold dust at the moment due to budget cuts...it's been hard enough transitioning from teaching as people think you will leave and go back because of the salary drop.

@MoonlightDancer

Can you not get a few bits of food that stink too?

Curry pot noodle.
Garlic Bread.
Onion Bhajis.
Bananas.
Cheese and onion sandwich.
A 'lunchbox' from the chippie with chips and curry sauce.

Or how about this Surströmming ^

It's a 'Baltic sea herring' from Sweden, and are fermented for at least six months to create surströmming, the Swedish delicacy that is widely considered to be the smelliest food in the world. The smell is described as a mixture of old nappies that have been left to linger unsealed at the bottom of a bin, combined with the unmistakable and sharp note of dog faeces!

This woman is totally out of order stinking the office out with stinky eggs. Why does the stupid, inconsiderate woman not go to the canteen or outside? Most plaxes have a place to eat their lunch.

And dropping rank farts in an office is fucking disgusting, and I would actually report that if it's continual. Go tell her to have a shit, because she obviously needs one! And tell her if it continues, you are reporting it, because you can't work whilst you're choking on some selfish stinky fucker's rectum gas!

@Drum2018 unfortunately not the school doesn't have a staff room, the other depts are very protective over their mini staff rooms and look at you with two heads if you dare go to their door 

@NoSquirrels thanks I'm trying to and I most likely will it's just so frustrating!

Is there a staff room or break out space? If so, could you encourage HR to bring in a no eating at desks policy? No idea about what to do with the other problems if you can’t use headphones (or a nose peg).

You're a qualified teacher? Then why aren't you doing a teaching job?!

Sorry - cross posted with post about staff room.

Gross. Probably about twice a month someone heats up the most foul smelling fishy lunch in the microwave. I literally can’t be there once they’ve done it and the smell lingers for ages. I still don’t know who the offender is although I have my suspicions 😤

Cold egg salad doesn't stink that much. So for that I think you need to ignore. Farts not nice though

@rainingallday  thank you that has really made me laugh.

not air 'fresheners', just extra pong (they really do reek) - purchasable air pollution.

management issue. #1 and #3 bullying you with the nasty comments. Check neither having sex with manager first (waste of time complaining if so), and then raise this. Or bring in a cheap cardigan and throw it over her when she blubbers about fresh air.

@BIWI I have left teaching for good I have found my talents lie in pastoral...I will never return to teaching 6 years and it broke me and I know I am not alone.

@CottonSock it does when they have raw onion in it as well I have no idea why they stink so much but they smell of ammonia really strongly

@MoonlightDancer

Glad I made ya laugh!

I don't see why you should be suffering though, and thinking about leaving the job! Hope you get this sorted. Maybe speak to the manager and ask if they can put up a 'no hot or smelly foods to be eaten in the office please.' Direct it at everyone, so no-one feels 'victimised.'

Could you do your work while wearing a hazmat suit and breathing apparatus?🤣. It might get your point across...

@rainingallday I'm going to ask them on Monday and see if their at least willing to do that. Hopefully that shouldn't be an issue.

@Knittedfairies If I could I really would!!

While you’re not being unreasonable to find your colleagues irritating/rude, etc, I have to say it sounds like YABU to be wandering the corridors and sitting in your car so that you’re behind in your work and making mistakes and missing review meetings! That’s just not on in a school setting unless you’re on corridor duty or something! No matter what else is going on, you do have to remain professional and do the job you’re paid for. Especially if you want a good reference for another job at the end of it.

Headphones and listen to music while you work. Nose clip (pack of 3 for £1.97 on Amazon) and can of air freshener. Ignore smirking colleague.

This is just typical of offices though, I used to work in an open plan office and the man opposite my desk used to make so much noise eating toast I used to have to stick headphones on as I can’t stand noisy eaters and working in a male dominated environment meant farts happened a lot! I’d have loved my own office or a screened off one as I get irritated by noises easily, tapping cereal bowls, throat clearing, noisy eaters, teeth sucking etc

The farty pants person is disgusting.

I literally saw that advertisement a few years ago in a magazine

Apologies from a fellow egg eater! I do it quickly though in my defence😂