Annoying things your work colleagues do all the time? #4

[Black.bird]

We have a lady retiring today. Remarkably, she has been with this company (in all its different forms as it's been merged, taken over, restructured beyond recognition) since she was 15, and she's now 70. I get the feeling she would've liked to just stay forever but she's been talked into leaving and spending the rest of her years doing what she loves (which is work, but anyway ...).

So, to make her day extra-special we all had a small list of things to do - digging photos and what-not out of the archives to create a special book, baking or providing food for her special morning tea, decorating a meeting room (for her morning tea) without her knowing, organising travel for her loved ones to fly in (and picking them up), and doing a whole raft of other stuff. Everyone, except for a couple, did their jobs. The couple in question are the usual types that I'm sure every office has - those who sigh a lot and go on about how much they have to do, but don't really produce very much at all; whose desks look like a bomb hit; who moan and groan at every new idea or initiative and constantly look for problems. One is her manager, the one responsible for talking her into retiring. It's really not good enough. Thanks to the quick thinking of a couple of really cool people who thought what we could do instead to fill the gaps, it was an incredible event, and she was extremely surprised, overwhelmed - all the feels. In her speech, her manager was full of "We did, we thought ..." asshat. He did nooooothing!

 

[TheDragonWithAFlagon]

Somebody on the general enquiries line has decided that they are actually a switchboard operator in 1986, employed to sound posh when speaking to men in three piece suits and bowler hats.


Despite having task oriented email addresses specifically to allow for differentiation of tasks, sharing of workload, monitoring AND protection of individuals from absolute basket cases who can and do hunt you down if they take exception to the font you've used in an email, never mind emailing them something they don't like, this absolute tool has unilaterally decided to give angry randoms my full name, the work 'personal' email address, the direct telephone number, the precise working pattern, that I'm alone in the building from x o'clock because it's easy for me to get home in (just off the street where I live), that there is no security at that time of day so it's easy to just walk in off the street AND promised each one a personal callback during the period in which I am lone working to 'explain and apologise'. You've just fucking doxxed me because you don't want to do your literal fucking job.


Dickhead dickhead dickhead dickhead dickhead.

 

[emmer_moans]

Regarding WhatsApp, we have a team group chat which was initially set up for purposes of team info like "there's a massive traffic accident, I will be in a bit later" or "Facilities have informed us power will be out at 8am until 8.30am whilst they fix XYZ so whoever is first in the office, you may find the power still out but it should be back up by 8.30", that kind of thing.

However members of the team have used it for sharing videos of their grandchildren petting a cat, or photographing their brunch on their day off. It's become like a team diary I don't engage with "awwww" anymore.

 

[ChastityDingle]

I stole this from the memes thread, it might give someone a laugh when dealing with annoying colleagues!

 

[Ensay]

People that rarely seem to take annual leave because work is "too busy". Get a life. Work will wait and time off is important. Plus it's often people who overestimate the impact their absence will have...

It's come to mind today because there's this annoying guy who I was going to book in a meeting with today but I saw he was off. So I was thinking "hurrah he's off for a week, he won't bother me!" Sadly he's only off today and, looking at his calendar, he's only taken the time because he's got some appointment. Take a week off, you get a break and the rest of us do, too.

 

[Sheeeet]

Was that a lie?

I genuinely don't know what I'd say to that, I don't have any really interesting facts about me and I dont think there's anything wrong with that. Anything I could say would be either inappropriate for work or illegal

Just pick a headline off the front of Take A Break and brave it out

 

[eacpet]

When colleagues introduce their new babies as "our new team member".

 

[WeHadFunRight]

I’m super annoyed today.

I was supposed to log in late this morning but this girl scheduled a meeting at 9.30am, so I decided to log off early instead. Then, I logged in and saw she moved the meeting to 10am then moved it to 1pm (because she works overseas and needed to drive home). Then this meeting lasted almost 2 hours instead of 30 minutes and I had been stuck in meetings since 10.30am at that point. Imagine being in back to back meetings for 4 hours including at lunch time on a Friday.

I lost it. If you have to drive home because it’s getting late where you are (and by late mean it was 6pm), what makes you think I’m OK with a 1.30h meeting at lunch time on a Friday? Then she casually asked “Oh, is it lunch time where you are guys”?

I said nothing and let the other person respond because I was annoyed at that point. I couldn’t schedule my day properly because of her messy organizing for selfish reasons.

I have since blocked my calendar for lunch time. Anyone scheduling a meeting at that time is getting a decline. I can’t get over this because I couldn’t log in late or take a lunch break because of her!

I used to work for a Swiss company such was their dedication to lunch they’d just leave the meeting at 12pm no matter what was going on.

 

[Jane Porcupine]

Also people who join Teams calls late and start doing the 'how is everyone' routine. NO! We already all did that at the start of the meeting, if you want to know how we all are, join on time!

 

[KindnessWins]

I have a huge bandaid on my face and felt self-conscious during a (non work related) presentation my team gave in front of 50 people, so I had my camera off. I wasn’t a speaker as the presentation was given by one person only. Apparently they did not like it that I didn’t have my camera on.

I’m sorry but I felt uncomfortable with this thing on my face. I wasn’t even a speaker anyway but I was in the office. I honestly don’t see the big deal especially as people were looking at the screen being shared, not people’s faces.

I don’t put my camera on most of the time. There’s always some arsehole that pipes up and asks me to put it on and I just say no thank you, I’m keeping it off.
I cba putting my camera on and shouldn’t feel pressured into it. They can see my face when I’m in the office. I just feel that after having it on for the past 3 years, I’m fucking over it. It’s my house, my home and I’m fed up letting strangers on a work call have a glimpse into my home.
I want to keep it separate as much as possible

 

[JustmeKC]

Today is my first back since before Christmas - I had a stack of leave owing and January is usually a quiet time, so it was mutually agreeable that I would stay off until now.

Last week, I was asked if I could come because someone walked out and they were in a bit of a jam. I said I couldn't as I had plans (which I did, besides why are they throwing the problem to me when there are other people in the office quite capable of picking up the slack? I will add that I've said "yes" far too many times over the years to this place, including going in on the weekend to check someone has set the alarm properly after they've texted me doubting if they have [I live closest work out of everyone]).

I woke up today feeling nauseous but put it down to first day nerves; turns out I had a lot to be nervous about! Immediately after arriving into the office - I'd only just put my bag away in my cupboard - the GM came over and asked if he could have a word. As I walked through the office and smiled and greeted everyone, I just got frowns and mumbles in return. Very unusual considering our office is usually really friendly and if someone has been away for a while everyone usually gathers around wanting to know how their break was, etc. Once in the GM's office, I was hauled over the coals for letting the team down and losing a major account! Excuse me - but how is YOUR problem suddenly my fault?!

The person who walked out was under a huge amount of pressure and was meant to prepare a presentation for a client but they forgot about it until two days out from when it was meant to be delivered. Apparently they just freaked out and realised they couldn't deliver so walked out. If I had known the extent of the situation I may (or may not) have returned to work earlier. I threw it back to the GM and asked why one of the other team members couldn't do it ... his response was ridiculous - he said he wanted to ease the others into what will be a heavy year ahead. Super-ridiculous considering one of my work friends said things have been really quiet with all her clients so she's been taking extended lunch breaks.

Ugh. This, combined with the "suggestion" that we adopt a four-day working week but our base salaries get reduced to reflect that, just made me question what I'm even doing here. So, I gave my notice and will look for something else! I will happily go and work at one of my co-owned coffee carts for a few months if there's a need. I am going to eventually go and work with some other colleagues who set up in competition, but they're still in the process of getting things set up. This is all going to pan out well though, as I do have a six-month restraint of trade.

My boss started getting all desperate and saying he didn't want me to leave and although it was a major client and I'd made a serious mistake in judgement (!!!) it wasn't the end of the world, and he would be prepared to let me off with a warning which shouldn't impact too much in the scheme of things. Stuff him! How dare he try to make me the scapegoat!

I have given my two weeks' notice and said I'll be working it from home. If he doesn't like that, stuff him!

Oh hello constructive dismissal…

 

[Black.bird]

The period talk reminds me of a situation I had years ago.

I'm someone who likes to be prepared, and I had a small bag in my top drawer containing pads, pain and heartburn relief tablets. I also kept one each in my car and handbag, just in case. I went to grab the one from my work drawer one day, silently relieved that I'd had the forethought to have this set aside, as I had a heavier than usual period and I'd used all the ones from my handbag -- only to find it near-empty. It turned out one of my colleagues decided to help herself! When I asked out loud if anyone knew who'd been through my drawers, she sheepishly admitted it was her, then turned the situation back on me as if I was the guilty party by saying I was making something of nothing and that I needed to calm down. It was straight-out theft and I complained to my manager about it, who agreed it wasn't on. She never did replace what she used.

From that point, I gave up taking things into work. I also had my mug taken off my desk, and a little USB-powered fan went missing (the air conditioning in that place never worked, so I took my own fan in).

You'd be surprised how many so-called professionals are dirty thieves - in the same place, stationery used to go missing at a shocking rate.

 

[WeHadFunRight]

There’s this one dirty bastard that I work with and he farts ALL. THE. TIME. He doesn’t even attempt to be discreet about it, or move away from people before he lets rip. It’s absolutely vile, and it smells like an animal carcass that’s been decomposing for a week in the sun. It makes me sick to my stomach knowing me and my work colleagues are breathing in his shit particles. I actually think he‘a some sort of unhinged sexual predator that gets off knowing that we are all inhaling gas that he’s released from his anus. And the worst of it is, he doesn’t even excuse himself or apologise!

If he’s not discreet about his farts I’d not be discreet about spraying an air freshener every time he does it, in his direction.

What a disgusting inconsiderate twat.

 

[Vroomvroom]

People walking up to you within 5 minutes of you arriving at the office. Can you give me at least 30 minutes to regroup first?!

Yep, and they start with “I know you’ve only just got in”. Then leave me alone!

 

[Emsie]

Sometimes I log into a meeting early and stay muted and camera off to confuse people. They come in eager to chat and just get a blank screen whilst I watch them it makes my day better

 

[DanaScully]

In the office we get eight pints of milk provided on a Monday morning to (supposedly) last us the week, along with free tea and coffee.
We're generally hybrid and there are rarely more than 10 people office based each day.

Generally by Tuesday lunchtime the milk is all gone because everyone's using it for their porridge/cereal/shakes in the mornings. I've never known anyone to go and buy more.

Selfish arseholes!

 

[Dishthedirt2021]

I was wondering if someone can help. Is there anyway of finding out exactly who is sending messages/emails to someone? Like possibly tracking them down with their IP address or if they have made a fake Facebook profile is there anyway of finding out who exactly it is.

Long story short and I’ll try and explain this the best way I can.

I work for a small business, my manager is having a fling with the hairdresser next door. They have been for the past year. I knew from day one, I was the first and only person to know from the beginning and was happy for them. I’ve been wanting them to be together from the get go. In our business we have another male who works for us, the managers best friend, he doesn’t agree with them being together (for several reasons I wont get into and he’s made it very clear on several occasions). I have to also mention this guy (the managers best friend) I used to work with him in my old job so I’ve actually known him a lot longer than my manager has and he’s changed as a person (in a bad way) from when I used to work with him in my previous job.

Anyway, for months they have both (my manager and hairdresser) have been receiving quite vile and abusive emails from a fake account but the emails are also being made out to look like I’ve sent them. Things that have been mentioned in the emails are only things that we have all spoken about together so nobody else would know (including the male - managers best friend too) but the way the email text is coming across they are using grammar which I would use and words that I would use to look like me. Specific words, texts, phrases that I say etc as if I’m sending the emails to put the blame on me. At first they genuinely thought I was sending the emails, I was oblivious to these emails until they asked me if I was me, I had no idea they were even receiving these emails until recently, I showed them I was innocent. I would never do such a thing. They didn’t expect it would be the other member of staff (his best friend) until we started piecing the evidence together.

Anyway, tonight, I’ve started now receiving messages but via Facebook because this person doesn’t have my personal email address. This person has made up a fake Facebook profile to send me messages which are very personal, abusive and disturbing. They have told me they watch my every move, they know everything about me, to watch my back because “you will find out in time what will happen to you, you think you’re smart but I’m smarter than you, just wait and see”. Etc etc… saying they are going to message my partner and make up lies saying I’m sleeping with other people etc! I did block the person and normally I wouldn’t bother but I have mental health problems and I can’t sleep from panicking. I know this is the person from my work because they have mentioned personal stuff that only my manager and he knows in my work and I know for a fact it’s him! But how do I prove it! I’m so angry. What does he want from me and why is he doing this to me and to my manager, his so called best friend! Baring in mind this guy is in his 40s. If it’s not him it’s his partner that’s doing it on his behalf.

I can’t afford to just pack up and leave my work but I can’t go to work dealing with this as it’s affecting my mental health badly. What would you do in this situation? I’m so tempted to set him up in a way to prove it’s him but I don’t know what to do. I know 100% it’s him who’s sending these emails and threatening me too. I don’t know why he is doing this.

Make it a police matter. He will either shit himself and stop or he’ll be dealt with by the police.

 

[DA Stella]

I had a supervisor who performed a lap dance for one of the PMs on his birthday. Right there in his office with the door open. She would also drape her breasts over his computer monitor and purr "Good morning..." She got drunk at lunch one time and when she got back she ran to him and threw both arms around him and wrapped one leg all the way around him and dry humped him. The look on poor guy's face!
She was married but, she told me, she "needs validation". She called herself an "HR nightmare". True that!
I left that company years ago but I understand she's no longer married. Not surprising.

 

[Heidi88]

When someone sends you an IM just saying "Hi Heidi". Nothing about what they want! I messaged back around 30 mins later saying "Hi Mary" and nothing back.

 

[Sheeeet]

I feel like I'm too old/intolerant and too used to wfh to work in an office again. I've had enough of heat, light and radio station/volume battles, loud ignorant opinions, stinking lunches, disgusting habits, office politics and backbiting. Thank goodness I start a fully remote job soon just need to win the lotto now to really seal the deal!