Co-workers are strange. Very, very strange.
By anthony balderrama on Feb 4, 2010 in Featured, Fun stuff, Work
Co-workers can really make or break a workplace. A bad boss can make your life miserable, yes, but at least you can commiserate with your fellow disgruntled colleagues. In most situations, they are the ones sitting next to you eight hours a day. They engage in idle chitchat with you and exchange e-mails with you all day. They are as important to the job as your job duties.
Not everyone is so lucky. A recent CareerBuilder survey finds 39 percent of workers think they don’t fit in with their colleagues. Workers in health care, sales, and professional and business services were most likely to feel like they’re out of step with their co-workers.
When asked to share the most bizarre things they’ve seen their colleagues do, surveyed workers had some unique stories:
- Co-worker ate the cheese off the pizza box at a company meeting.
- Co-worker talks openly about flatulence.
- Co-worker in the cubicle next to me wears 3-D glasses with the lenses removed.
- Co-worker repeatedly bangs a mallet on the table for no apparent reason.
- Co-worker whistles eight hours a day.
- Co-worker chews tobacco and spits it into empty soda bottles.
- Former boss brought a baby sippy cup to a meeting and started drinking out of it.
- Co-worker cleaned fingernails using a counterpart’s business card.
Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder, has the following advice for anyone who encounters this unorthodox behavior at work:
- Talk it out: Talk professionally and honestly with your co-worker about his or her behavior. Be sure to do this in private and try not to embarrass anyone or make the situation worse.
- Take it to a higher level: Don’t be afraid to get your boss involved or talk to HR. If the behavior is hurting your ability to do your job, it might be time to call in the big guns.
- Mix it up: If you can’t come to an agreement with a co-worker who is bothering you, ask to be reseated in another area.
I’ve not been (un)lucky enough to witness any workplace behavior quite as strange as the ones above, but I’m guessing some of you have. Feel free to share the strangest things you’ve seen at work. It’ll make you feel good to get it off of your chest and it will probably make the rest of us feel normal.
Deb | Feb 5, 2010 | Reply
I work with a coworker that is so annoying.
She talks to herself ALL day long and she has
a very negative attitude. Can’t stand her and
wish she would leave. But no such luck……
jrh | Feb 5, 2010 | Reply
Those are the wierdest things?
Cheese from the pizza box, 3d glasses, sippy cup, cleaning fingernails – all wierd but harmless.
Talk about flatulance – never met a man that didn’t talk about farts (although most wait until women are not around). But there’s a saying: “Farts are just plain funny”. Of course people talk about it!
Whistling 8 hours a day – yes that’s annoying
Chewing tobacca – yes that’s disgusting
But seriously? If these are the things that make people want to quit their jobs, what a spoiled nation we’ve become!
If your job allows it, I suggest investing in a good set of headphones. That will make most annoying coworker habits quite tolerable.
DEDH | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
I have 2 coworkers who thinks so highly of themselves that it makes you want to gag. We are federal employees so all we hear about from the two of them is how they work for the taxpayer and should be working 8 hours a day. The rest of us do actually work for 8 hours & some of us work 9 hour days but of course the two that talk about it all the time are the ones that work maybe 2 hours a day and spend the rest gossiping about other workers, talking about their kids, and just being annoying. Also, my coworkers think it is okay to come to work sick-while I’m not saying to stay home if you just feel bad there are times when you are sick and are better off at home, NOT at work infecting your coworkers-especially a pregnant one.
Marcia | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
You have my pity; that sounds like my neighbor! She has three indoor cats, never cleans the litterbox and keeps it next to the kitchen. She’s trying to work as a substitute teacher, but no one ever calls her in twice–I don’t wonder why; Her grammar, punctuation, and spelling are horrific! She posts handwritten posters of her political opinions in her front window, visible only to other residents of our Condominium. She has no patience, and a very short attention span. She wanted the closest parking space, and got it, but now doesn’t want it because there is a guest space next to it and claims that people constantly park too close to her (NOT true, we’re all afraid her “car” will drop parts on ours). She comes to Board meetings and tries to comment on everything (she’s not a Board member). She’s never read the Declaration of Condominium or Bylaws, and expects us to explain to her when she’s breaking the rules–but doesn’t want to meet in person because she hates confrontation (and she’s always confrontational), but also won’t read nice messages we leave for her–she only seems to ‘get’ about two sentences worth and then tosses it away! Right now, our town is going through a process of taking a general “planning” map and defining specific zoning boundaries; we are incorrectly shown as low-density residential and should be high-density residential. She wants to stay high-density residential in the delusion that this will magically make her high-density residentail home worth more when she sells it (as if we’d ever be so lucky–she’ll die there). She’s going to the public hearing to participate–meaning she’s going to tell the Planning Board she wants it left that way. However, if (God forbid) we ever need to replace one or all of our buildings, we’d be delayed for a number of months trying to get a zoning change to do so–but she thinks she knows everything, so won’t even consider that what we’re saying may have merit. I’m considering disconnecting one of her battery cables the evening of the Public Hearing; although she considers herself a “green” activist, she won’t WALK the eight blocks to City Hall. She thinks we should lower the HOA dues because she can’t find permanent employment, but wants us to replace a dead tree she had the developer plant that is inappropriate for the space she put it in, and wants us to REMOVE her large concrete patio and replace it because it has a few cosmetic cracks in it; the tree would eventually heave and crack the whole thing, plus the foundation of the building. God help us all (and I’m not religious)!
Terry | Feb 10, 2010 | Reply
My office space is shared with the boss, who brushes her teeth at her desk.
linda | Feb 10, 2010 | Reply
What a bunch of complainers you are. BooHoo. My neighbor talks about farts, eats cheese from the pizza box — quit being so judgmental already & maybe YOU might be able to get along with others.
And always remember this — the things that annoy you most about other people are really the things you hate the most about YOURSELF!
employee | Feb 12, 2010 | Reply
I had a an older co-worker who danced around the office while singing “hail, hail the gangs all here”. She also did not wash her hands after using the restroom but liked to touch people when she talked to them (on the shoulder or arm).
courtney | Feb 12, 2010 | Reply
one of my older female co-workers is a “touchy-feely” person. She continuously touches my clothing to see what kind of fabric it is, or hugs me when she is happy. While mid conversation she will randomly lift up her skirt in order to adjust her stockings.
LiLyPierre | Feb 14, 2010 | Reply
OMG! You all really do sound like a bunch of children. Be glad you have jobs and co-workers at all. So many are homeless now. Others are living with relatives and coming into my company on a regular basis, begging for work.
Have any of you ever been homeless? Out of work with no relatives to sustain you?
I’ll bet those same co-workers could list a few annoyances that you do yourself. Most people don’t see all of their own imperfections.
Troublemaker | Feb 14, 2010 | Reply
I work with this co-coworker that such a major troublemaker always running to Management about the way people dress, she only been with the company less then 3 yrs she compares herself with people that been with the Company over 9 yrs, she very envious and jealous person she trys everything in her power to make others look bad so she can look good in front of Management..She always says people in the office act like kids, when she the one that when she chews gum pops in all day long or when she drinks slurps with the straw. Plus when she talks you cannot understand half of the time.. C.Weaver
cheri | Feb 14, 2010 | Reply
I saw a fellow employee clip her toe nails while we were having a meeting. I thought my very polished and proper boss was going to faint.
Lisa | Feb 14, 2010 | Reply
Female coworkers are the most annoying coworkjers of them all. They are so petty, envious and catty acting. Here are some of examples of the petty things my coworkers do in the worker place. I work a county job and my co-workers all seem to copy what I wear. I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. For instance, I like to wear express jeans. One of my coworkers commented that she liked my express jeans. Next thing I know she and two of my other coworkers are all buying and wearing express jeans too(the same ones). Everyday they look me up and down to see what I am wearing. One day I wore a blouse to work(tha I didn’t think was all that). All my co-workers commented on how sexy the blouse was. One co worker in particular commented and said ” Oh I hope you are going to a party or something after work.” Talk about jealous. It is so annoying. Then I like to wear boots(it’s just my thing) next thing you know one of my other coworkers is competing with me and starts wearing boots too. I am not a competive person, but I don’t mind the competition if it is on a level where we are competing for something of significance. I don’t think competing with me on out doing who can where the better boots is signigicant for competition. Oh, and I am the only person on my team that is not married with children. One co worker in particular (who is married) is always trying to tell me what to do with my life. Oh you should get married and have children, my coworker says. One time my coworker told me that she does not have a joint account with her husband so I said (because I thought that is what my coworkers wanted to hear)Oh I though all married people had joint accounts. Immediately one of my coworkers turns around and stated no I we don’t , it is actually confusing to have one. It caused problems when I had one.” I have concluded that female coworkers are the most annoying coworkers of them all.
Lisa | Feb 14, 2010 | Reply
All in all I think coworkers need to toughen up, as they all seem to be to sensitive. I try not to say too much to my coworkers at all.
Lisa | Feb 14, 2010 | Reply
I agree, but still there are just some coworkers that need to toughen up and get over themselves.
employee | Feb 14, 2010 | Reply
That is bad but I have a worse one. She doesn’t take a bath, at the most once a week. It is so disgusting that I would quit my job if I didn’t have to work, but I do.
I have given hints, slowly taken it to higher managers and no one will do anything.
I had to asked to not sit next to her, it makes me want to vomit, I’m sure she doesn’t wash her hands, if she won’t wash her body. I am praying hard and applying to get out as soon as possible.
Cweaver | Feb 14, 2010 | Reply
If she has more senority then you, your the one that should leave if you don’t like it.
bob | Feb 16, 2010 | Reply
I had a co-worker who had serious hygiene
problems to be polite. He stank to high
heavens enough to make you pass out! He
even had bugs crawling all over him. Others
were jailbirds and we had stolen everything!
All this for a quickback from the government!
And they wonder why quality is down.
lola | Feb 16, 2010 | Reply
I have a coworker who loves to talk about her cats. She loves to talk baseball. She loves to also pick at her crotch because she has a yeast infection (several times a year) while she talks baseball to our very proper boss and tries to touch people with her crotch picking hands…eeewww. She brought her flea infested cat to the office in a carrier so she could later take him to the vet. …you could see the fleas hopping all over and they had to ask her to please leave immediately. She’s the receptionist and refuses to pick up the phone because she’s got creditors hounding her and is scared it’s one of them… She loves making racist jokes (and we’re a small town business) with Spanish and Asian people present…=sigh= once she decided she was bored and did jumping jacks at her station and tripped over a little baby carrier one of our clients brought in…Scared the parents and the Baby and she was upset because she tripped.
This woman has to be seen to be believed!
roland | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
I have a coworker who’s from china and doesn’t bath — EVER. He wears the same clothes every day (raggedy sweater, grey dingy T-shirt, polyester pants, navy socks, and worn out Puma tennis shoes). His hair is so dirty and greasy it sticks together in clumps and looks like it would break off if you touched it. His breath is so bad that we can’t even stand close enough to him to hear him clearly. We just have to say “Yeah, yeah, okay” and step back before the green cloud hits us. We tried giving him subtle hints by first offering him gum, then breath mints. Finally we had to tell the boss, because his B.O. was so bad that it was actually causing some of us to become nauseous when he was sitting nearby.
G | Mar 2, 2010 | Reply
They really want to complain about this stuff? I have worked in a prison for 17 years. Not complaining, but I’m surrounded by murderers and gangsters. Enough said.
Erika | Mar 2, 2010 | Reply
And these are just the office jobs. I can’t imagine the types of things sewer cleaners, farmers, porti-poty maintainance guys, etc. have to go through.
coworker | Mar 6, 2010 | Reply
Coworkers are nice people, but yes they can be strange…there is one that can be professional with clients, but will behave like an immature teen (he’s about to be 30). The funny thing is that another collegue who is becoming 45 thinks this guy is funny. She admits that she could go back being 30 something. It slipped out (finally) that she thought they would make a good couple. She is married. The two of them chat all afternoon across the cubes and spend their time on facebook. Our boss is either unaware of this or is fine with this. As for me, I don’t care to mingle with these people and would prefer to get the work done.
SC | Mar 17, 2010 | Reply
Lisa…We have the such similar story. I work in a school district and most of my coworkers are females. While 40% of them are very nice, the other 60% are either petty, selfish, or simply annoying. That clothes competing thing…I don’t know what is it about that…It always happens. I’m one of the few single women in the office, and I always try to look nice and dress appropriately. There’s this woman (married with two kids) who is always trying to copy me. She must have written down everything I wear everyday, and goes out to shop. (She goes shopping constantly.) You might think I’m paranoid, but NO, my style is very distinctive and creative, I KNOW when people copy me. She’s smart and doesn’t do it right away, but one week later she would show up to work wearing the same style or the same color ensemble. It may seem petty, but it is highly annoying. If she’s so competitive, then create her own outfit and style. Stop using my ideas to “trying” to outdo me. I get this at every job I’ve ever had. The girl at my last job was craziest. Not only she copied the way I dress, she tried to befriend all my friends. Whatever I had, she must have it, too. You know what happened to her? She seduced one of the male coworkers (who’s a buddy of mine) and ended up suing him and the company for sexual harassment. Why do I always get these crazy annoying people as coworkers? Damn it…