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?

Your rights don’t trump his. YABVU

You are ridiculous. Of course you can’t play the radio all day every day in a shared office. Get some headphones if you must listen to a load of old shite all day long or retrain as a plasterer.

Personally I think it should be what works for the majority. He doesn't like it, but rather than forcing his preference on everyone else he should take steps to manage it I.e. he gets loop earplugs/noise cancelling headphones rather than forcing everyone else to get headphones when they have happily worked in that environment for years

What a pity this isn't AIBU with voting enabled.

If I started a new job and found that the radio was playing constantly in the background, and I had no say in that, or in its volume, I'd be looking for another job pretty soon

U U.K. oh are there to work not listen to random crap!

This would drive me mad, I wouldn’t mind a Spotify playlist so much but radio DJs talk so much crap and the same songs come on over and over and over. It’s ok for about 15 minutes but no more than that.

I used to work in an office with the radio on all the time and can’t listen to Sara Cox ever again because of it!

Did you tell him you were going to turn it back up? If not, then that is very passive aggressive. What was his reaction when you turned it up?

I'm not surprised. This would. annoy me too. I think a shop, factory, workshop setting is fine but I'd find it hard to concentrate.

Can't you wear headphones?

I'm in a radio-on office. If I really need to concentrate I put noise cancelling earphones on. I wouldn't insist everybody else sits in silence because I'm not a twat.

Likewise I'd like the temperature colder but majority rules.

Well I wouldn't insist on blaring music if not everyone liked it. Because I'm not a twat.

I agree with all of this.

Anyone else never heard of ‘loop earplugs’ outside of this website? Madness.

Why should he have to wear bloody earplugs because of a radio being played at work?

If the majority wanted radio in the library should it be played there as well? No because it’s a bloody library, and work needs to be quiet too

I agree with this. Surely the ability of everyone to concentrate on what they are being paid to do is the priority? If one of you can't work properly with the radio loud, then it needs to be quieter. Complaining about him being "the second newest" is a bit childish. He's as much a member of the team as you are.

Radio drives me insane. You should use headphones if you want to listen to it, not force the whole office to! People are there to do a job, not to suffer hours of noise that makes it impossible to concentrate or learn (especially relevant for a newbie).

Buy some headphones and stop being inconsiderate

What kind of work do you actually do op?

I don’t blame him. Get some headphones.

You sound like horrible bullying colleagues. I've got ADHD and probably autism , I couldn't work with a radio on.

I also have ADHD and Autism and need low level music to concentrate.
Majority rules is fairest to me and I've often had to wear earphones for certain things.

Not much by the sounds of it, too busy listening to the radio and emailing colleagues to moan about other colleagues and pull rank on who has been there the longest.

Sounds like a toxic workplace.

I wonder if OP will come back now she's been told she's unreasonable

Surely majority rules can't work for those who can't work with background noise. Those who want it can put headphones in. Those who don't want it don't have to.

Doubt it!

You learn something new every day!

I know that some shops and hairdressers have music/radios on. It had never occurred to me that some offices would too.

That would drive me mad. I'd never be able to focus on my work.

@silverlentils exactly this!

And hope the OP realises any internal emails could be disclosed if required...