Annoying and Offensive Workplace Behaviours

In 2009, An Australian-based international office space provider Servcorp, did a survey on “Most Offensive Workplace behaviours” and come up with the top five most offensive workplace behaviours;

1. Not saying hello or good morning
2. Not offering office guests a beverage
3. Speaking loudly  across the room
4. Using swear words
5. Taking calls on mobile phones.

The survey found United States and Britain to be the most sensitive nations in the world and 60 percent of the respondents thought Japan had the strictest work etiquette.

Nearly 25 percent of Australians considered swearing acceptable in the office.  However Japanese and Middle Easterners thought it the height of insensitivity.

This year a British company – Opinium Research has surveyed 1,836 people and found that the most offensive and irritating office behaviors are;

1. Grumpy or moody colleagues
2. Slow computers
3. Small talk /gossip in the office
4. Use of office jargon or management speak
5. People speaking too loudly on the phone
6. Too much health and safety in the workplace
7. Poor toilet etiquette
8. People not turning up for meeting on time or at all
9. People not tidying up after themselves in the kitchen
10. Too cold/cold air conditioning

This list could be endless.  Lets face it people are annoyed by the smallest things on any one given day.  Personally I feel some of my personal irritations in the office came from the following behaviours;

1. Reality fail chat – who did not make the list on American Idol, Dancing with the Stars ect
2. Email information overload – sending trivial requests over email
3. Cutting nails at your desk
4. Eating smelly food at your desk
5. Talking to me when you can see I am busy
6. Hovering at my desk
7. Sneaking up from behind and scaring people
8. Passing wind
9. Telling me every detail about your life
10. Clock watchers  – people who tell you what time you got in, had lunch and went home