Male co-worker keeps turning our office radio down

[user1471867483]

I've been in my office job now for 9 years, my other co-worker 4 years and another 15 years. A male co-worker joined 18 months ago. We always have the radio on. However, a few weeks ago, when I wasn't there, he told my co-worker that he wanted the radio moved away from him, so she moved it closer to us. Now, today, I went to the toilet, came back, and the radio was turned down by him (my co-worker was present). She emailed me to say he turned it down as it was getting on his nerves. Ten minutes later I turned it back up again (as I am not allowing the newest one in the office taking over). Our boss allows us to have the radio and has done all these years. My co-worker said I'm ballsy to turn it up again, but why shouldn't I? He's the second newest in fgs. Was I wrong to turn it back up or something?

I can’t stand the radio on when I’m trying to concentrate so I think YABU. You come across the same as a dog pissing on a lamppost to mark your territory.

as I am not allowing the newest one in the office taking over luckily this attitude wouldn’t be acceptable in most workplaces. Nobody cares how long you have worked there, it doesn’t give you any kind of authority.
If I were you colleague I would escalate it and I’m 99% sure that you would be asked to turn the volume down or even to use headphones. The priority in a place of work is that people are in the best conditions to produce work, not that the person who has been there the longest can be entertained by music.

YABU, if you want music use headphones. I think it is incredibly selfish to inflict noise into a shared space.

I can't concentrate with the radio on unless I am doing a menial job. You are being totally unreasonable to expect that its OK, just because its always been that way.

Grow up and have some consideration for your colleague.

He’s already putting up with the radio he doesn’t want so I don’t think it’s unfair to turn it down a bit for him. I assume it’s quite loud if he can’t concentrate and I’d expect a radio in somewhere like a salon or shop but not necessarily an office. Personally I can’t really read or write while listening to words being spoken or sung if they’re too loud to tune out. I think you should both compromise - he gets some noise reducing ear plugs and you turn it down a bit

UABVU and very unprofessional. Try working without radio and see if more work gets done. Can't believe your attitude!! I would get a bad headache working with you!

Op sounds about 14 years old. Utterly unprofessional to carry on like this. Poor new guy.

Your the nightmare colleague OP.get some headphones if your that desperate for the radio, how can anyone concentrate with radio on constantly. Also your music taste may not be what he likes ,I used to work with people who constantly listened to a radio chanel that was just too historic for me to enjoy. Drove me mad!

I'm with your newest colleague. I can't concentrate with a radio on, and don't like music radio as it sets my teeth on edge if something I don't Iike is played. I love silence. Am working from home today, and can only hear a far off plane going over, nothing else. Bliss!

I keep coming back to this thread because I just can't get over it. @user1471867483 are you aware that noise stress actually has a physical effect on people? Being exposed to it regularly can cause increased blood pressure, heart attack, depression, memory issues, sleep problems.. your refusal to consider your colleague's wellbeing just because you were there first could actually have a serious impact on him. And wearing noise cancelling headphones also has risks, not only with him not being able to hear an emergency around him but also studies have shown that using them for the amount of time you'd be expecting him to can cause the ears to overcompensate for the lack of noise, leading to tinnitus.

You can find plenty about this online but I sincerely hope you realise that your behaviour is in no way ok. You could very genuinely be damaging this man's life and it seems you couldn't care less.

He's not even new! The fact that she sees someone who's worked there for 18 months as new shows exactly what kind of nightmare workplace this is

Can you both come to a compromise and have it on between some hours and off others. Life is to short and precious to be making it a misery for others. It doesn't have to be a fight. Talk to him in a sensible manner. It's his place of work to. I think by saying because you have been there longer gives you a right to have it on is very childish. Get over that and make the world a happier place for everyone not just yourself.

Since the radio is rhe established norm, he needs to wear noise cancelling headphones.

I hate people listening to radio at work. I also hated using headphones to get away. Thankfully I changed office mates soon and we didn't have a radio. If I want to listen to music, I wear headphones.

Depends whether he was warned about that before staring the job.

I would hate to have to wear a huge pair of noise cancelling headphones all day just because someone else was making a racket

Since the radio is rhe established norm, he needs to wear noise cancelling headphones.

No he doesn't.

all he did was turn it down.

How do you do that and take part in the office goings on, managers questions to all, phone ringing, fire alarm etc?

You are being really unreasonable. Put some headphones in. And the right to have the radio on isn’t linked to how long you’ve been in the company, that’s ridiculous.

The established norm can be changed, dependent of new colleagues wants and needs.

Or you wear headphones?

I'm old so I've never worked anywhere where music would be allowed.

Seems very unprofessional

Exactly!!!! And as I mentioned in a previous comment, noise cancelling headphones are known to cause tinnitus if worn too long. Why should this guy end up with a health issue, not to mention having to sit there effectively in isolation all day??

Christmas (well October to December) must be horrendous in your office your radio would go missing.
Do you object because he's a HE or have you driven others out?

This. YOU use headphones. Ffs the selfishness of it

We had music at our workplace - which I hated but had no control over. I'd avoid going to office due to this or maximise my meetings so I was rarely at my desk.
My team then moved to a new part of the office and I had a word with my manager requesting no music at the new location. Luckily he had a number of people do the same and we don't have music now. Those who want to listen can wear headphones!

My thoughts entirely 😉.

@user1471867483 you're hilarious! You're just picking out the two comments that agree with you, ignoring all the rest, shows how totally unreasonable you are.

Hopefully your colleague makes an official complaint about you and you are either disciplined or sacked.