To report the cleaner

[EmotionalLimbo]

I'm a PhD student and work in a doctoral school office with several other researchers, all doing our own thing. It's a wonderful quiet space and we're very lucky.

Well quiet that is until the bins are emptied every afternoon. I'm not sure if the person who comes in is a cleaner because I've never seen her do any cleaning in this office but she might do in other parts of the building.

She's just so loud. She's talking on the phone using Bluetooth earpieces so it looks like she's talking to herself. It's so distracting and it's not a work conversation because it's a foreign language.

I've contacted the estates people to ask them to tell her to stop as it's annoying everyone but nobody dare say anything. It's not my job to tackle her.

AIBU?

How long is she there for?

If it's about 20mins, I'd take it as an opportunity to go to the loo, have a break etc.

Emptying bins doesn't take that long, can't believe you've even raised it as an issue.

Just let the woman do her job and get some earphones.

She needs to really others regardless. Basic common courtesy. Report her.

Can't you just politely ask her to be quieter without going to estates or reporting her?

Why would you need to “tackle” her? Why wouldn’t you just politely ask her if she could be a bit quieter when in your office?

But you don’t need ‘tackle’ her. It would take infinitely less energy to ask her to try and keep the noise down as you have work calls than it would to harass estate management (or start this thread). It sounds a little bit like your attempt at punching down?

This. The Cleaners hoover at my work place is so loud that I can’t get anything done while she works. I just have to take it as my time to run errands to other rooms or go to the loo and make a cup of tea.

I think you are being unreasonable. It’s a thankless job -and your cleaner is just trying to get through the day.

I don't know what punching down means. We don't make calls or take calls here. It's a quiet workspace. Asking her to be quiet would also embarrass her in front of other people. It's less embarrassing and more effective if her manager does that.

Oh for goodness sake just go over and ask her if she could possibly keep it down a bit. Whatever's happened to people's social skills? There's no need for all this overthinking.

"it's not a work conversation as it's a foreign language"

I'm willing to bet that a significant percentage of your estates and premises staff speak that language... whatever it is.

"I'm not sure if she's a cleaner"

As opposed to someone who just empties bins for fun?

That office is your work space.
It's also her work space.

Her job is shit but she still turns up every day to do it, probably for NMW. Exactly how much of your day are you distracted for?

Oh. So it’s not impacting you dealing with something? In which case I’d grin and bear it for the 5 minutes she’s there?

Just ask her to not chat on the phone whilst she does the bins in your office. How long does it take her?

Even if it wasn't, it's loud. It's distracting. Particularly if people are neurodiverse. It's also rude.

I'll ignore your rudeness.

Good grief...🙄

Just a thought..... If she really is that bothersome might you just rise steadily from your chair, take a deep breath, put one foot in front of the other, calmly walk towards her, and as soon as you make eye contact, smile and quietly ask her if she can empty the bins with a little less enthusiasm.

It seems you're really overthinking things and projecting your embarrassment onto her to me.

If she's got headphones in, she's more than likely not aware of how loud the sounds are in a previously relatively silent room....

Fair enough but then don't say things like that. It weakened your argument.

How long does it take to empty a couple of waste bins? The person is simply doing their job. Just the same as you are.

You should definitely have her sacked, OP!
Put her in her place

FFS

How dare she disturb your very important work. Her being a foreigner too,

Don't be silly. We want to, you know, do research in a conducive environment? I wouldn't go into someone else's workspace and carry on a loud conversation every single day so I don't see why it's ok for her to.

It's her workspace as well.

But shes also doing her work in her workspace. Your work isn't, you know, any more important than hers. Christ.

This!

why are people scared to ask them?

Nobody wants anyone to be sacked and it's stupid to suggest that. We want a workspace that's quiet.

She's emptying bins in an office. How long could it possibly take?!