Attention seeking woman at work driving me insane

[Gloc]

Name changed as outing to anyone that works with her!

She’s driving me insane, seriously - to the point where I have urges to shout at her or literally walk out. Shes so loud, constantly shouting and screaming. She’ll literally scream all of a sudden, waits for everyone to ask what’s wrong and then will say “I’m just so bored!” Or “I’ve just remembered it’s pizza for tea!” Or some other stupid shit.

She’ll randomly throw her papers up in the air and say “it’s stressing me out!” And everyone laughs. What exactly is funny about that?? Maybe the first time I’d laugh but when it’s a weekly thing - not so much

On Friday she suddenly slammed her laptop shut and screamed. Of course everyone was like “what?? What??” And she’s sat there lapping up the attention before declaring “I’ve just seen that my favourite band are touring”. Everyone laughed and said “Jesus I thought it was something serious”. It’s never serious, it’s always something stupid.

She’ll get up and suddenly start dancing - even getting up on the tables etc. at Christmas she brought in a load of those dancing snowmen/santas/clapping monkeys etc, set them up all around the office and turned them all on together. The voice was unbearable. The manager made her get rid of them in the end so she screamed and pretended to cry.

The woman infuriates me. I don’t even know why she annoys me so much. I seem to be the only one not laughing! Before anyone says I’m jealous, trust me - I’m the most introverted person ever, the last thing I want is to be centre of attention

She’s actually making me consider changing my job. I can’t stand it. I’m literally dreading going in tomorrow.

I would speak to the Manager or HR, but focus on the fact that noise/distractions are affecting your work. What can be done to help you maintain your productivity? Alternate location, more wfh, headphones.

My experience but men especially seem to be content to see any relationship problem as two women having a personality clash.

Then grey rock. Put the headphones on or whatever and if she tries to distract you just say pleasantly that you are busy and need to get something finished. Someone will lose it with her. Let it be someone else.

@SlightlyJaded 😂😂😂🤣🤣

Have got a similar colleague at my work. There's always a drama to fill everyone in about i.e. son has fallen at school need to rush off and take him to doctors, my dad's physio has been cancelled so i'll need to take him out for a walk, my garage roof fell in....all that would be in the space of about 2 days!

Oh God I worked with someone like this. I avoided the school office in the end so I wouldn’t need to see her. It was always scream “Oh I can’t work today I forgot my earrings.” scream “I've not got the right shoes on”, scream “my eyelash has fallen off”, the list is endless! The worst comment was always “I’m mad me” at nights out 🙄. This is the woman who was caught on video on social media doing the cha cha slide at a wedding when she was off long term sick with an alleged back injury, there was a full investigation about it all but she’s still there, goodness knows how as so many people have complained about her.

Then there was the numerous ‘urgent’ medial appointments for her vitamin B12 injection that she’d be away for 3 hours for so someone had to cover her post. How she’s still employed is a mystery.

The relief I felt when I handed my notice in was unbelievable.

Urgh! I've met one of these before. She was such a pain in the arse.

I find that a perfectly timers eye roll 🙄 sometimes works. Or just ignoring it and not engaging.

Other than that telling her to 'shut the fuck up' might work.

Ma'am, may I please introduce you to the concept of a joke?

Your manager is pathetic. It doesn't matter whether she's mentally unwell, has learning difficulties, personality disorders, a tic disorder, or just an overwhelming desire for attention, she's being disruptive and needs to be told in no uncertain terms to shut the fuck up.

I would quite happily tell her to shut up every single time, but I am old, grumpy and secure in my job. I realise it is harder for others.

Interesting @Fallenangelofthenorth as I have someone similar - as you say, a watered down version - who does precisely what you describe. Unfortunately, most people think she's endearing including our boss. Sometimes he likes to give her an audience so she'll change the subject matter during a meeting and just talk about herself for 15 minutes - it's like indulging a toddler. I think people just don't want any hassle and won't challenge anyone.

Because you’d know you couldn’t even contemplate offering an opinion of diagnosis based on a thread on Mumsnet

I'm not diagnosing. I'm saying it sounds like.

Doormat alert. 🙄

No it doesn't mean that.

Does she have ADHD? Stop giving her a reaction ignore her and tell everyone else to ignore her.

She does sound very annoying 😑 could you perhaps say to her that the screaming and shouting is very distracting when you're trying to work and ask her to tone it down? If you say it pleasantly she can't really have cause to complain. Failing that, I think I'd have a word with your manager and say its really getting you down. Both worth a try before you look for another job!

Offering an opinion of diagnosis

@ireallycantthinkofaname well the comment about health and safety from PTSDBarbiegirl · Today 21:34 didn't sound like it was a joke. Nor the exhortations to talk to a manager. Talk to a manager and say what? "There's a woman in the office who I don't like"? You would never be taken seriously at work again.

Speak to your manager about her, not HR. It's not HR's job to manage shit employees, it's the manager's job and that is what she should be doing.

You can't go on like this, especially now you're thinking of changing jobs. I bet there are others in the office who feel the same, are you close/friendly with anyone to ask them?

This is the sort of character that if you wrote a TV show or novel with them in, some people would say how unconvincing they are, like, 'nobody actually does this!' but having worked with this kind of extrovert/ attention- seeker myself I would recommend advice given when toddlers are making bad choices around others. I'm now imagining you saying to colleagues, 'Well done for ignoring that behaviour and staying on task!' If she gets attention for it she's going to keep going. She needs some good old fashioned ignoring in my opinion.

Well, she could say "there's a woman who flings full cans of coke across the room, screams, dances on tables, and inappropriately touches colleagues".

She is patient facing but manages to act normal ish around them (although is still overly loud and inappropriate) I dread having to go out with her, being stuck in a car with her shouting and screaming is what I imagine military torture technique to be like. I feel sorry for her husband, she was on the phone to him once on loud speaker (whilst driving) and was shouting and screaming - the poor bloke couldn’t get a word in edgeways. I’ve met him and he seems lovely, god knows how he copes with this at home

I've worked with someone like this. Consultant in the NHS. Mid 30s. She used to come into my office to practice her belly dancing.

I don't think we work at the same place because this woman annoys the shit out of everyone and absolutely no one at all finds her endearing 😀

Anyone seen Two Doors Down? She is literally Cathy.

I’ve avoided every night out because I couldn’t imagine what she’s like when drunk

Ear defenders are good particularly the pelter one's.

my sarcasm would be on fire in this situation… can’t stand attention seekers, ain’t no way I would have put up with that for 8 months.

I really think you need to RTFT.
If you still think that this person’s behaviour is acceptable, then that reflect rather badly on you.