‘Bubbly’ ‘smiley’ work colleagues

[Joker0fGotham]

Thoughts?

If just pleasant and nice to be around- crack on! I love upbeat people, it's horrible when everyone moans a lot at work.

If they are ridiculously happy and smiley as their persona, it can be a bit tiring. I had a colleague once who was so over-the-top about this and ended up nearly having an affair with the IT guy, having had an affair at her last place of work too. Also, it hid a lot of problems in her marriage and with parenting and it was a shame she was quite as exaggerated in her happiness. A middle-way is just fine.

I'm totally fine with it so long as my colleagues aren't the type to stand about my desk in multiple small groups having different conversations at the same time all day. That sets off my misophonia and makes me miserable, but happy people are nice!

Dyrne what do you mean that your partner won't "let" you re-train?

On the whole I prefer the bubbly smiley collugues however if I'm on an early shift and roll into work at a stupid time (pre 8am) and I am greeted with a perky bubbly person who has energy I definitely don't respond to well. I need lots of time to get energy 😂😂

I work on my own and have to be smiley and positive all day long for my patients. I find it exhausting as I am a bit of a serious hermit at heart.
Bit have learnt to put on a face.

Babyg I think I work at your place!

I'm bubbly and smiley because I'm in a customer facing role. When the customers comment that I'm always happy, I tell them that it's because shopping is miserable enough, they don't need their last impression of a shop to be someone with a face like a wet weekend!

It can be hard to project the image, I was on shift just after my mother died and when my dog had to be PTS. But I smiled through - it's not my customer's fault!

Genuinely friendly but reserved and kind are fine by me. I don't mind seriousness. 'Bubbly' in the noisy, air-headed, compulsory "pahzatividee" sense is irritating.

I found relentlessly positive upbeat people, the ones who seemingly never get annoyed or exasperated about anything, a bit annoying. I liked to know I was working with humans not robots.

Have you finished your article yet OP?

I am smiley and bubbly. I work in a customer service role. I am dealing with miserable people all day. I'd be mired in the pit of despair if I was not a happy type.

One advantage is that the people who know you, know that when you are unhappy it is serious, not some minor niggle.

I like my job, I like most of the people I work with, my life has the usual ups and downs, but I am just a happy person.

Thymelord If I were to retrain into my dream career it would require a full 3 year course again. DP would need to take on the bulk of the financial responsibility; and he is unwilling to do this. We could afford it, but it would mean a drop in our standard of living that DP is unwilling to take. Not much I can do 🤷‍♀️

What's the AIBU?

Most people jump to the conclusion here that you are either OTT bubbly or sour faced miserable. There’s fifty shades of grey in between. I don’t like either of the polar opposites.

Actually I agree with Smartanimal. I try to aim for the 'approachable, friendly and happy to be in my job' middle of the spectrum, rather than 'fifteen year old Californian rich girl who's just been given a car' or 'person who resents the sun for coming up in the morning'.

Great if it’s genuine, if not they can piss off.

The colleague I work most closely with is genuinely the most cheerful person I’ve ever met. Her resting face is a huge smile. She’s lovely, completely genuine, and cheers everyone else up!

A lifesaver for those of us who are a bit on the mardy bum side!

our "bubbly and smiley" staff member cracked yesterday and had a full breakdown, revealing a lot of personal stuff that had been well masked by the bubbly and smiley facade. Don't be fooled.

I'm a happy cheerful person, I can raise a smile and a friendly greeting for anyone regardless of my internal mood - that's how I was brought up. I might be worried or sad or unhappy or devastated on the inside, but my automatic response to people is to smile.

I'm not "bubbly" or OTT though, I like to think I have the self awareness not to force my cheer onto miserable wankers who don't deserve it.

It is very painful and bad for the work environment to have the opposite. We have a woman in our office who (rather often) has a sour face and gives silent treatment to everyone around her. It raises the tension in the office, kills off the mood and makes everyone so much more tired at the end of the day.

Having a positive attitude in the office is super important for the overall atmosphere and productivity. I'm an introvert, so being 'bubbly and smiley' is a real effort for me - but I make that effort for the sake of other employees and the business.

I have lots of thoughts

Bit worried about your username OP

Yes

I think smiley is good. Bubbly could be a bit annoying if they were talking too loudly when you’re trying to work etc.