The use of office cubicles has been on the rise in recent years, mainly because of the desire of companies to save on space. But limited space is not the only reason why cubicles are popular in almost all workplace today. According to several studies, cubicles give workers more opportunities to mingle and therefore have good relationships with one another. If you are required to work in a cubicle with another worker, there are things you could get worried about. Even an experienced personal coach would agree that these are the types of coworkers you would want to avoid:
The Yeller
This is the type of coworker who opts to shout across the office to ask or say something to another worker despite having other means to communicate. It doesn’t even matter if you are talking to a customer on the phone, or perhaps having a casual meeting with another staff; would just stand up and talk in a very loud voice.
Mr. Information
This kind of person never seems to run out of something to say. He talks on the phone so loudly and for a long time that you think the person on the other line may be asleep already. This type of personality is without a doubt very annoying and distracting. What’s worse is that you won’t be able to escape the loud and long conversation he is having until he actually hangs up.
The Smeller
One of the worst things that can happen to you is to be put in a cubicle that you have to share with someone who stinks. There are certain body smells that you may find unbearable. Even the smell of cologne or perfume can also cause you discomfort and even headaches.
The Conversationalist
This person just loves sharing everything about her life. She would tell you about her kids and their latest milestones. And how about him who just can’t seem to get over the game won by his favorite baseball team? At first, you may find personality of your new coworker comforting and warm, but this could be irritating in the long run, too!
Is there anything you can do about it?
If you’re unfortunate enough to be given a cubicle-mate who’s like any one mentioned above, the first thing you might think you should do is endure it. It is good that you are willing to extend your patience and be more understanding of your coworker, but you also have to take into consideration the effects this situation could possibly have on your work.
In order for you to be efficient and produce quality work, you need to be in place where you are comfortable and focused. But you won’t be able to do this if the person beside you has many ways of distracting you. You don’t have to be mean to the other person, nor should you file a complaint to your boss about it.
If you could ask a personal coach about what you should do in this situation, the possible advice would be to talk to your coworker politely to discuss the things you both want and don’t want inside your cubicle. If things don’t work out after you talk to him or her, you may ask your supervisor or manager to allow you to move to another cubicle. In short, you have to figure out how you can have a place that will promote productivity and efficiency.
Cecile Peterkin is a certified career and retirement coach, and a registered member of the Career Professionals of Canada and the International Coach Federation. She is also the Founder and Senior Career Strategist at Cosmic Coaching Centre, provider of career and life management services for middle managers and mid-career professionals across Canada, United States and Europe.