Am I unreasonable for wanting more quiet in a small office?

[Nowheretogo1985]

Genuine question.

I work in a small office with 2 other people. They are lovely but dont go more than 5 minutes without talking. I get stuck into a task and they strike up a conversation and I cant work and talk at the same time. I need quiet to be able to concentrate and be productive. I think they feel uncomfortable with silence. I find it stressful as I go home feeling frazzled and feel as though ive not been productive.

Also endless chit chat drains me.

Am I being unreasonable? Do I need to lighten up? Or do most people go to work...to actually work?!

Could you work from home at least part of the time? Some people cannot bear silence, others need peace and quiet, we are all different.

Headphones are your friend. Just say you need to focus and pop them in

Headphones are a good suggestion 🙏🏻 no option to work hybrid in my role otherwise that would've been great. The thought of working from home a few days a week sounds like actual BLISS!

Definitely headphones if you're allowed them.

It's tricky in a shared office. I'm distracted by silence and find myself daydreaming (cheers ADHD!) I used to work with someone who needed silence to concentrate and we would always find that the output was low for one of us. She ended up with her own office and I ended up working from home (with the TV on in the background).

It's one of those situations where no one is right or wrong.

I have hybrid, but someone in office talks and talks all day. She has a very piercing voice too which actually starts to hurt me. I have found Loop earplugs quite good at taking the edge off, and they are more subtle than headphones if you’re worried about disgruntled feelings.

I also have ADHD and I’m the exact opposite, I NEED silence or I can’t focus!

My productivity is literally up by at least 50% since WFH. It’s only since moving to remote working 8 years ago that I realised how useless I actually was in an office.

But yes, neither of you is wrong, although I’d question how anyone can do their job properly if they’re chatting all day.

I'm the opposite, I just can't work in silence (or with music) I need a certain amount of background noise to keep focussed, I share with three other people and hate it if none of them are there. WFH would do my head in.

Do you think they are actually getting their work done? If not that would annoy me. I like a bit of chat in the office but mostly in ours it is us discussing work between us or with others who pop in and out. I wouldn't chat for more than a quick exchange if someone was on a call or looking deeply engrossed and not joining in.