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?

😂😂 This made me guffaw

Presumably he couldn't concentrate. You're paid to get work done, not listen to music. YABU.

@DPotter
I hate music to work to - every now and then a class requests music and I hate it. I hate having to talk over the music, I find it so distracting, so I'll turn it off and 'forget' to turn it back on again.

Surely you can't have music playing while you're talking to the class - it would cause problems for who has hearing difficulties?

Granted OP doesn't sound particularly welcoming no.

Probably not because they only posted to cause a stir, like so many other tedious posters do these days.

of course you have to turn it down, (or off). It doesn't matter how new he is, you can't do something that prevents him concentrating on his work. It is a place of work we are talking about here. You need to wear head phones if you want to listen to the radio in an office where somebody else wants it off. You have been incredibly lucky to work there for 9 years without anyone else objecting. Many people can't work with noise going on like that, and in most offices it would be shut down. In my office we have been told not to talk too loudly, because someone ( I don't know who) complained to the boss they could not concentrate. That is fair enough, we are there to work not talk.

What station? Anything with adverts would make me want to throw it out the window. I have loop earplugs for misophonia but someone else's music would irritate me immensely.

Our Dr (when you can get an appt.!) has Smooth FM or some shit which gives me the rage.

He didn't turn it off he turned it down. It's called a compromise.

I can't bear a silent office, with just the sound of typing and a clock, urgh!
I love the radio on in the background, however if I had to listen to Kiss or some repetitive commercial durge all day on volume 9 that would absolutely do my nut in too. Speak to him, find a compromise.

Blimey we have sky news on the large TV in on the wall in our office! 🤣

I can’t bear the office radio but everyone else seems to like it so I work from home or have headphones in. It really drives me mad otherwise so I can sympathise with him. And he’s not that new is he? He’s been putting up with it for 18 months, why shouldn’t he get a say in the office environment?

@Abouttimeforanamechange

Surely you can't have music playing while you're talking to the class - it would cause problems for who has hearing difficulties?

I totally agree but some people still like the music!

Do you have a rule for how many years people (men) have to work there before they can have an opinion?

Be careful OP, if you carry on treating him with such disdain, you could be accused of bullying. He's obviously already too nervous to broach the subject with you directly, perhaps he's getting your (unearned) superior vibes?

The office is a communal space that should enable a productive work environment for all.

Inevitably there will be compromises that have to meet made, be that over tv/radio or the heating/air conditioning.

I used to work in an office where the temperature management was like warfare.

In the winter the heating would be full blast with the windows open and in summer the reverse re: the air con. There was a small contingent who wanted the space at a ridiculously high temperature and kept turning the thermostat up in winter and the air con off in summer.

It was madness. Ultimately access to the temperature control was restricted and set at a reasonable temperature.

Personally if I'm concentrating at work background radio would be irritating. Loud radio extremely annoying. Loud radio of a station with music/content I wouldn't listen to in any context downright infuriating.

It's not an issue of seniority. It's about everyone in the office being able to do their work in a reasonable environment.

Someone might like Radio XYZ but for others it's like nails down a blackboard.

Whilst everyone was ok with the arrangement then crack on. But when it's preventing even one (even the newest) person from working effectively then you need to compromise re:volume/station or using headphones.

I would tell you politely to turn it off, I am female and not sure the fact he is male is relevant

Sorry, OP. YABU

It is a workspace. Its only OK to have the radio on if EVERYONE agrees. I think he was very polite to just turn it down and move it.
Length of service is irrelevant

A colleague had to move into our office for a week recently.

He brought his radio, tuned in to a shite station and played it without asking anyone. I'd been off Monday and Tuesday, came back Wednesday and lasted an hour and a half before I asked him to turn it off

3 colleagues thanked me when he went to the loo - they'd been done in with it all week but had kept quiet so as not to upset him!

Is this the same colleague you've disliked from the start?

My DH listens to the radio while he works, talking not music. I’m always amazed at his ability to switch focus. I have ADHD and for me it would be impossible, the energy I’d use to try and switch off from the radio would be knackering, it’s taken me 57 years to realise that my attention will always be all or nothing even with medication. My ADHD actually feels like I’ve got a tinny radio on my shoulder all the time anyway.

I don’t suppose your new colleague realised there was going to be a radio playing all the time. He has my sympathy. He especially has my sympathy being in a new job with a silly hierarchy where you feel a bit of workplace bullying is your right because you’ve been in the job longer. Sounds like a grim place to work.

We have the radio on all day every day in my workplace. I occassionally turn it down if I'm making a phone call (but not to answer one!)

@user1471867483 as an added note, does your employer pay to use the radio in a public space??

An office radio? Wow, that sounds so 1980s.

Isn't this what your iPhone is for if you want music - listen through ear buds so as not to disturb others?

I cant work well with a radio on. Work comes first and trumps. Your desires. Hes not being unreasonable you are