I work in a building full of research scientists and administrators. The atmosphere resembles a morgue. We put heads down & get on with it, staring at our screens all day but chatty if we go out for a walk. Minimal conversation indoors.
New colleague in my team, but he has worked for other depts in same building so should perfectly well understand the office conventions about minimal chitchat. Slow to STFU and my middle-aged brain can't multi-task so I don't want the distraction. I think he's pushing my personal buttons because he reminds me of my (irritating, slightly pathetic) brothers. He just seems so... emotionally needy. I am supposed to be a point of contact for his research decisions, but most of his projects I know nothing about and I'm swamped with my own work & he's supposed to be paid enough to take initiative & research the answers himself. I am trying to be a helpful sounding board, I know what it's like to feel a bit adrift because that's how my boss is, boss is only around sporadically & definitely doesn't handhold!
Anyone had a colleague who seemed needy with poor boundaries and how did you deal with it?