My new colleagues are immature berks. Should I suck it up, or do something about it?

[MrsBertMacklin]

3 men, all well into their twenties or thirties. They spend an hour plus each day talking about football. 30 minutes in the morning, ref. any overnight events, then 30 minutes after lunch, when they've caught up on the morning's events. I sit with one of them on each side of me, one opposite and one on the desk behind, so they have this conversation 'through' me. I've asked them to not talk 'over' me as they're stopping me from concentrating on what I'm doing, but got laughed at.

Whenever the managers are out of the office, the place turns into a playground. First day this happened saw them having a paper fight. Second was them hiding things from people's desks. Today, saw them blocking the kitchen door off with filing cabinets in order to trap people in the kitchen.

The company's brought me in at a senior level to them, but I am not their line manager. I lost my patience today when they were giggling about some email that was pinging between the four of them and told them to be quiet and get on with some work and the response was a high pitched "ooooooh!" and more laughing.

I can't continue to work with these prats and I think they're actually creating an unprofessional and bordering on hostile work environment.

I'm thinking I have one more attempt at telling them direct this behaviour is unprofessional but if it still continues, I need to tell the bosses to sort it out.

Also doesn't help that the main instigator of this behaviour seems to have some rather sexist views on women, but I know how to handle that!

I'm not being a humorless jobsworth about this, am I? I've not worked in an office for ages, but I'm sure this behaviour is weird and immature.

Needy bump... in case I smack one of them tomorrow.

Take them to one side individually, and point out to them you don't care if they think you're a bitch..... you just want them to do what they're paid for.

I'm not their line manager mine, so can't really take that approach.

Do you all have a shared manager? If yes then I would bring this up with them, leave the football talk out just talk about the horseplay which is making you feel uncomfortable.

and distracting

Omg. They sound awful. Surely they don't get any work done? Dies nobody question their productivity?

Speak to your line manager & put it all in writing. Explain that you aren't comfortable continuing to work in that environment & ask to be moved desk. There must be others in the office who find them irritating.

Endless football talk is a tedious occupational hazard.

The rest of it certainly isn't. Don't be out off by their "oooh"s, keep making your point. Repeatedly. Every time. But do definitely get their manager(s) involved and anyone else who is responsible for "behaviour in the office".

They need to grow up, be split up, or get disciplined.

How long have you been there? Is that why your predecessor left? If so, if they complained - you'll have to ask the office gossip - nothing will change.

I would go and speak to my manager and ask for my desk to be moved. Say its impacting your work. Their manager sounds dreadful tbh. Do they have targets and KPIs? Sounds like they are the dept time forgot.

Could you take a health and safety angle regarding moving filing cabinets to trap people in the kitchen?! I imagine the company would come down quite hard on that as it's a real injury risk.

Don't film the office - you can't do it without someone's consent and then produce it as evidence later.

I would tread carefully, you are not their line manager. I would suggest speaking to your line manager, agree with slumbering re H&S angle it is also a risk in case of an emergency evacuation.

They sound too much to tackle on your own, I would ask to be moved too. That behaviour would not be tolerated where I work.

Can you ask to be moved to a different desk? They sound awful.

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

By way of an update, I spoke to the directors about what's going on when their backs are turned. They said that they've previously had problems with these people being rowdy and had moved their desks to try and minimise this (it's a small office). They seemed appalled when I detailed some of the incidents and said it was unacceptable.

I'm not sure if they were spoken to or emailed, but today, the bosses were out and there was a definite reduction in horseplay and offensiveness and I overheard part of a conversation about me: 'we'll have to be careful because she's obviously 'in' with the bosses'.

When one of them did start to get loud or say something slightly 'banterish', one of the others would make a pointed comment about it being unprofessional, with a pointed look at me.

So at least they've been told, I'm hoping that will be the end of it.

Mrs bert, get a diary you keep at home or email yourself daily to your home adddress, anything like you just described. It could escalate and you need a record.

Also, I would mention to the bosses they are quieter, but now making comments which I can assure you will upset you and will be a form of harassment and bullying as it continues. Keep a record!

They blame you and are not contrite.