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?

It's not about who has been there longer and it's not about what the majority likes. It's about what gets the work done.

You are all there to work.
Having the radio on is distracting him from working.

Does not having the radio on make you unable to focus on your work and make you less productive?

Those who can't do their work without noise could wear headphones to play the noise privately.

Those who can't do their work with unnecessary noise can't put headphones on to play silence. (White noise is not silence)

Maybe talk to the boss and see if there's the option of a quiet office for people to work in who don't want the radio.

I hate the ration being on and I can't concentrate if it is. Why should someone be exposed to your choice of music. If he started listening to death metal in your workspace would you be happy?

What's the relevance of him being male?

You’re unbelievably selfish to insist on having the radio on when it’s not suitable for all employees. He just needs to say he’s autistic or similar disability and needs the radio turned off as a reasonable adjustment so he can concentrate. Boom, radio gone. If he does leave because he can’t cope with the noise he could claim constructive dismissal.

YABVU

I can't listen to the radio when I'm working. It drives me mad.

If I was him I wold start making mistakes and not getting my work done, then when I was questioned about why I would tell them it was because I was being forced to work in a noisy environment and it's affecting my ability to concentrate.

One of my first office jobs was for a company with several bosses and no obvious hierarchy. One of them allowed us to listen to music with headphones on, but he was based out of a building next-door. When the boss in our building walked past, he'd make everybody stop the music, saying it was anti-social. In the end the latter boss won.

I don't know the nature of the work, but I couldn't work with a radio on all day. I personally prefer as much silence, and minimum distraction, as possible. Why not compromise and wear wireless headphones.

I'm Team Turn It Off. I like having music on when I'm doing physical tasks like cleaning or gardening. For mental tasks I need silence. You are being very inconsiderate.

DP once worked in a place where the boss insisted on having Smooth Radio on all day. It was literally one of the reasons he left after 6 months.

I've worked with rank-pullers before, and it seems it is a stunt resorted to when empathy and consideration fails.
I'm rooting for Radio Off guy.

They're usually the worst most unproductive employees too.

I also would not be able to concentrate fully with the radio on.

it aounds like you and your coworker might also be chatty if she even emails you when you've left the room for a few minutes. How productive are you both?

Well I think OP has probably got the message!

I couldn't work somewhere with the radio on. YABVU

😂😂😂😂 @GreekVases

Ah the office Queen Bee! You sound like a bully.

I am glad I have never worked in a place with a radio on. Maybe not the best way to handle it, but I am with the person who wanted it quieter.

I couldn't stand having a radio on all day everyday when I'm working. Most stations are repetitive nonsense with a song thrown in here and there. And if you're listening to a station that has serious discussions on different topics then how can you concentrate on work? I'm with the guy who's turning it down.

It doesn’t matter how long anyone has worked there- it’s a shared office space so everyone has to be ok with the radio being on. Either turn it down or turn it off.
Maybe this man is struggling to concentrate with the music on? I imagine you’d be the first to moan if he stopped doing his job properly!

Listening to other peoples choice of radio/music is tedious. Get some headphones.

I'm surprised your employer doesn't have an opinion on this. Everywhere I have ever worked, radios have not been allowed. They are unprofessional and cause too much office politics.
I would hate it. It's bad enough having to listen to Cheesy FM at the gym when I forget the headphones.

If you want the radio on get headphones

The gender of your colleague is irrelevant in this post

You are an absolute nightmare colleague!! No way I could work with the radio on. It's irrelevant if he's new or male. He can't concentrate with the radio on (like many other as you can see from these replies) so turn it off!! Don't be so bloody selfish.

Not only wrong to turn it down but this post sounds really nasty. The poor man has put up with it for 18 months and is probably at his absolute wits end.

I could not focus on work with the radio on. I have ADHD and if I was basically pushed out of the workplace by being forced to listen to radio even after I tried to compromise by agreeing to a lower volume I'd definitely be speaking to my union about neurodiversity discrimination.

Do you work, get some headphones and stop being so cliquey.

I'll put this to him! 👏

Christ there no way you’re even considering your at fault and he has a genuine problem

if he went to any good boss you’d be told to wear headphones not him

turn it down and stop being inconsiderate

A massive pet peeve of mine is colleagues wearing headphones in the office so I then have to make effort to get their attention when I’m trying to talk to them.