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?

If you want to listen to music wear headphones, no one should have to put up with it if it means they can't concentrate. Has your office got a performing rights licence? If not it's illegal to have it on.

This would drive me nuts, almost to the point of resigning.

I find colleagues making phone calls quite distracting, someone else's (or even my) choice of radio would be horrendous when I need to concentrate. I don't play music when I'm working from home either.

The reason you give is totally unreasonable. This notion that new joiners should not be “taking over” is just childish. They probably can’t concentrate well with the radio blaring and people have different sensitivity to noise. They only turned it down a bit, not completely off so they’re trying to fit in and compromise. Just get headphones if you care that much.

What’s the relevance of the fact he’s male

some people can work with background noise he’s already asked it to be moved
so you know he has an issue

tbh your attitude of not letting a newbie take over sounds borderline bullying

He turned it down, not off. That's a compromise on his behalf. Do you need it at a certain level?

I have an office to myself and work in total silence. When I once went into DH’s big p, open-plan sports agency office to photocopy something, it was so noisy (several TVs showing sports events, phone conversations, 30 people talking) that it took me about seven attempts to make a single double-sided photocopy.

YANBU wear headphones. It’s on the person who wants to noise to keep it to themselves, not for everyone else to block it out.

And I think you were fishing for the feminism sympathy vote by saying he’s male. I’m female and would find loud radio while trying to work v v v annoying

Also, when you say you're not letting the new person take over (which he wasn't trying to do by all accounts) sounds arrogant.

I'm with him. Can't concentrate at all with the radio on. People who want noise normally use headphones. Noise-cancelling headphones that effectively cancel out music are pretty expensive.

Never mind turning it down, I'd have dropped it into a bucket of water by now.

Can't stand the racket either in the same room as where I'm trying to work or when I'm on the other end of a phone call trying to hear what somebody is saying over their apparent right to torture everybody with some twat on Radio 1 or Heart.

What radio station is it? Not really relevant but I'm guessing what type of station it's likely to be.

I have ADHD so need the radio on for the background noise. I WFH mainly and always have the TV on so I don't zone out.

If someone has work that they really need to concentrate on then it makes sense for them to ask for it to be turned off so that they can focus.

If the majority want it on at other times then I think it's fair enough. Could he have noise cancelling headphones?

He is in the right here. He clearly can't work when it's on.

Very inconsiderate of you. Is this a reverse? Completely irrelevant that he is make too.

Relevance is because op is trying to start a bit (more) man bashing

I

Team New Guy here also. You sound obnoxious and unwelcoming that you’re unwilling to have a courteous conversation with him.

Have the radio by you and on low.

it’s actually unprofessional to have noise in the background for clients…

Insisting that everyone in the vicinity must listen to whatever you want at your chosen volume is the sort of thing my 7-year-old with SEN does. It’s not behaviour I’d welcome in the workplace.

Yabu, some people can't concentrate with music on, turn it off or wear headphones.

I can't concentrate on reading or writing with music on. A radio on at work would drive me mad unless I was doing a manual/ physical job. I would hate to work in your office.

My DH loves listen to music while he works ( analysing spread sheets and financial accounts) I don't know how he does it but it works for him.

I would also find the radio really frustrating and distracting. I think those who want to listen should have earphones!

I can’t believe all of you like the same music/talk station in the office. This would drive me mad if someone had the radio on. If you music/talk get some headphones. Your office sounds hell.

Yep sorry OP - radio only works if all colleagues want it. If your boss has complaints from the new bloke he can’t work with the noise and could you all wear headphones instead, I reckon your boss will ban the radio. So you can either turn it down so new man doesn’t complain to your boss or keep trying to “win” the volume until you lose having a radio all together.

We used to have a radio on at work all the time. One day it mysteriously fell off the shelf and shattered into pieces…

When I work from home I have the radio on all the time until it annoys me or I really need to concentrate. But I have the choice about what I listen to and I can turn off or switch stations as I feel like it. I would NEVER expect co-workers in an office to be subjected to what I want to listen to.

When I work in the office, even there's usually only 3 to 5 of us, the radio is just not on. It doesn't work in a shared environment.

What's him being make got to do with it? What kind of music does Misandry FM play?