Open plan etiquette

H

Henny Penny

Registered User
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Hi All,

I work in an open plan office with one other person ... it's a while since I've been in the work place so I wonder are there any tips on open plan manner - how not to listen to private conversations etc. I feel like I need an excuse to go out of the office every time my collegue makes or receives a personal call.

Many thanks
 
Stay where you are. The person taking the personal call (if they should be taking personal calls at all) should leave the room if they don't want you to hear.
 
I agree with extopia. They have the etiquette problem, not you.

You can train them by listening in and striking up conversations afterwards involving personal details gleaned from the phone calls. Escalate if necessary by using the personal details for lunch time conversations with other staff members. Or even join in and shout your contribution to the phone call (you can always claim you thought it was a business call about an issue you are involved in!).
 
You should certainly not feel the need to leave the room if someone is on a personal call. I work in an open plan office with 4 other people, I have over the years actually trained myself to not even hear what people say.
 
There was a guy near me that spent most of his time organising his wedding over the phone for the better part of a year. It drove everyone mental. The rest of his time was spent watching American Baseball over the Internet and occasionally he did some work.


You have the moral high ground.
 
I can quite happily tune out my co-workers - apart from those who insist on leaving their mobile phones on their desks which then ring. It's a legacy from sitting opposite a guy who was organising his Blackrock College 10 year re-union. Ross O'Carroll Kelly every ten minutes for weeks...
 
We have a formal 'open plan etiquette' policy, which covers things like no mobile phones, no speakerphones, brief personal calls etc. If you feel the need for something like this, maybe you should draft a policy and put it to your management/HR for agreement?
 
Hi,

Would you not speak to the person?

In an informal chat tell them that you find they get a lot of personal calls and how you find it difficult or uncomfortable.

I quite often find if you explain to someone how their actions are affecting you that they will try to change, (if they are rational) it could be that your colleague does not realise the affect its having on you.

Simply point it out, explain how you feel and see if their is any result, failing that I would go with the suggestion below from Rainy Day!!

Good Luck,
 
RainyDay said:
We have a formal 'open plan etiquette' policy, which covers things like no mobile phones, no speakerphones, brief personal calls etc. If you feel the need for something like this, maybe you should draft a policy and put it to your management/HR for agreement?
Click to expand...


Just as well it wasn't extended to no internet access !
 
I don't think there's any need to cause tension by mentioning it. Tune out the other person while they are on the phone. It'll get easier as time goes on and you may even take the odd phone call yourself.
 
Thanks for all the replies - I have begun to tune out to personal calls ... however now I have to endure the occassional and unpredicatable bursts of singing! Am considering earplugs!
 
Are you sure you don't work in my office? ;)

I normally deal with the singing in my office by either (a) joining in - which normally kills things within a nanosecond or (b) commenting on my colleague's music choices. Personal phone calls if taken at the desk in an open plan office are at your peril....

As above, my bigger annoyance would be mobile phones left on full ring when someone steps away from their desk. Particularly those motorola ones that beep every minute or so to alert the user to a missed call or text.
 
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