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cubicle farm noise

neworder7 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:04:30 -0800

There is a laud/noisy colleague in the cubicle farm office. Any suggestions how to deal with the situation? I work in a big company - this person is very laud especially when she is on the phone. She works for another department within the company and I don't know her personally so I don't really feel comfortable having a discussion with her at all.

I contacted HR to ask their advice regarding how to deal with her. They said they will speak to her manager. I also suggested maybe they can start cubicle etiquette initiative to make people more aware that they work in shared office environment and be considerate of other people.

There has been no change and a month later I contacted HR for the second time. They said they will again speak to her manager also suggested I should speak to her myself in person.

Another person from my team also spoke to her manager and he seemed reluctant to deal with it, I am afraid nobody has spoken to her yet.

What are my options here?
1. What is the best way to deal with her without having to speak to her?
2. Is it feasible to pursue HR for the third time?
or
3. If you think as a last resort I should make the move and speak to her myself, what's the best way to do it?

I was wondering is it OK for HR to put me in a position to somewhat confronting her? I was wondering shouldn't the company have policies to provide reasonable working environment for its employees?

I work for an big international company in Australia if that matters.

Thanks.

Am I killing my towel?

Rabarberofficer — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 02:59:07 -0800

Do I harm my towel when I nuke it in the micro-wave to dry it faster? I'm started a fairly regular training-regement that take place before my workday. Now, since I live, hrm - work - in a cubicle I can't have a towel hanging around all day to dry.

So, I've taken to putting the towel in the micro-wave for a minute (it's in a Rubbermaid, so it's not unhygenical, mind you) since it will dry faster that way.

Will this method degenerate the towel faster than ordinary drying?

I've don't really have any sentimental attachments to my towel, but it's fairly soft and nice. I would regret if I put it to an untimely exit due to death by microwave.

Office Space - help me improve it?

abdulf — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:03:37 -0800

How do I make this office (cubicle) more functional and look better at the same time? This is where I spend most of my workday. It's where I'll likely be for the next two years because our main offices are under renovation.

I basically do three things in this office.

1. I use the computer for e-mail, word processing and online research.
2. I read and review 2-3 open files (need desk space).
3. I need a chair for people who visit the office to talk.

The current setup is from a previous employee. I'd like to make the space more comfortable for tasks like reading and interviewing witnesses (I'm an attorney). Decorations that express my personality are okay, like this lampshade.

Any ideas or examples for clean, organized and comfortable office spaces? I can move things around in the office but if I want new furniture or equipment it would be coming out of my pocket.

It's...ALIVE! (?)

TochterAusElysium — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:55:03 -0800

How can I bring life to my cubicle at work? I will soon be moving my desk at work to a new area, and it’s the typical cube-farm setup. However, being in a somewhat more creative group, we’re being given some freedom to decorate our new areas however we choose (within the rules set up by Facilities, of course). In thinking about what I’d like to have at my desk, I’ve decided I want some kind of life form that isn’t a plant. I won’t have any sunlight, and no one will be able to care for it over the weekend, so it would have to be pretty low-maintenance. And ideally, not more than $50 or so. My first thought was an ant farm (and depending on answers here, that might be what I have to settle for).

Here are some I’ve considered and eliminated: Hamster or other small mammal – would love one, but might get smelly and may not be happy over the weekend. Praying Mantis – so cool, but will only live 8 to 9 months. Leech – looks great swimming in water but how do I feed it? Where would I even get one? Eco-Sphere – cool, but very expensive at a size large enough to be interesting.

Some others I am thinking about: Fish – will it live over the weekend without food? Spider in a tank – cool, but can I feed it reliably? Sea Monkeys – failed at these as a kid, can I do better now?

Your opinion, Hive Mind? Help me liven up my boring work area!

How do I overcome Friday afternoon restlessness?

Magister — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:32:02 -0800

Every Friday at work, feel restless. I'm not content to sit at my desk. I feel the need to walk around, do something, get out of the office. I can't seem to focus on work, or accomplish much throughout the day. My weekends are particularly exciting, but I just have the overwhelming feeling to get out as soon as possible on a Friday afternoon. What can I do to get over this?

Office Wizard

jasondigitized — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:35:31 -0800

What's your favorite technique for getting things done in the office. Answers to this question can span the topics of communication, psychology, politics, organization, time management, technology, etc. For example, I read a technique employed by a famous someone ( can't remember who ), who, without reviewing someone's work, would immediately fire back the question "Is this your best work?", saving his time, and motivating his staff to do better. I stay organized by using Gmail to tag project emails by sending them to 'jasondigitized+projectname@gmail.com'. I have seen a project manager use sticky notes to organize projects with great success. My boss will purposely posit incorrect assumptions in emails which tend to increase response rates. A coworker usually follows up his emails with phone calls to ensure the message was received and understood. What means have you seen, or employ, that make things happen in your cubicle, office, or corner suite?

Cool things to hang in my cubicle?

shotgunbooty — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:31:08 -0800

What is the most awesome, smile inducing, envy inspiring thing I can hang on my cubicle wall? Looking for anything from awesome calendars to favorite comic strips to specific pictures I can rasterbate .

I don't want to limit any suggestions except they have to be safe for work.

Does anyone remember a spherical cubicle?

tzikeh — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:28:30 -0800

I saw a website or read an article about an ergonomic "cubicle" that was actually a very large, balanced sphere. The person would lie down inside the sphere in a perfectly supporting "chair" (somewhat like a first-class recliner), facing upwards; the keyboard was at lap level, and the monitor hung from the top of the sphere. Now I can't find it. Help?

How to get the sunlight into my cube?

ThinkandDrive — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 07:50:10 -0800

We've been told for some time at work that we're going to be moved from a second floor, windowless area down to the first floor which is at street level and has floor to ceiling windows looking out at street level. This sounds great! However, I just saw the plans and it appears that the cubicles which we have the option to choose from all have cube-height (six foot?) walls between our chairs and the windows. Think back to Office Space. I have seniority somewhat in the group and should be able to get a seat right next to a window. But how to deal with that cubicle wall? Is there some sort of curved, parabolic mirror thing I could rig that would get some sunlight into my cube? It has to be tasteful, clean, and not look like something that was just rigged up. Any on the market solutions?

Blinded by the (fluorescent) office lighting

desjardins — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:41:49 -0800

My cube is as bright as an operating room. Help me save my eyesight and sanity. Over the weekend, the facilities department here saw fit to replace some dusty fluorescent tubes directly over my desk. I also think one must have been missing/broken before, because there's no way it could be this bright from just swapping out dirty tubes. Anyway, I feel like I'm in a torture chamber or an operating room. Is there anything I can do to mitigate this?

Relevant info:
1. It's a very standard 3-sided 8x8 ~~cell~~ cube with an L shaped desk. I can't move the computer to the other corner, because there is a file cabinet in the way.
2. The light is also very standard, what you'd see in most US office buildings or schools. It's a drop ceiling.
3.. Anything I put over the light will be immediately noticed and I'm sure not allowed (this is a big corporation that really limits what you can do - for example, we can't have Firefox, nor coffeemakers).
4. I'm not normally vision-impaired in any way. I don't wear glasses or contacts. The light is not literally blinding me (no glare on my screen), but it's freakin annoying.
5. It's a big hassle to get the facilities department to do anything around here.

Trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life in the next ten minutes... and go

bernsno — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:19:51 -0800

I graduated last may with a degree in Politics from a small liberal arts school. As one might expect I have found my job prospects since then less than thrilling. I now have the opportunity to re-enroll in school for a masters program in cs. I am currently working for an enormous company doing something with basis adjustment (yawn). One of my coworkers just received an award for ten years of faithfully remaining in his cubicle and I very nearly walked out right there. Needless to say I can't picture myself maintaining this position for very long.
Now I am thinking that I want to pursue a career in web development. To that end I am re-learning html and polishing up my skills with various design tools as well as teaching myself Ruby and SQL. I have been looking for a internship that would allow me to transition into this new field, but I do not have the proper background or degree. So my question is two-fold: First, should I jump back into school so quickly after graduating and if not what are some suggestions for pursuing a position that would allow me learn the skills that I need. Second, does anyone have experience with entering into a masters program in cs without cs undergrad degree, such as the programs offered by UChicago or Depaul?

I hate working

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 06:24:17 -0800

I think I hate working. Or at least the part where I have a boss, and I sit in front of a computer all day for 8 hours, with a mandatory hour long lunch and two 15 minute breaks for 40 years. I feel this way a little more every day, even though I feel passionate about my field, generally like what I'm doing at the computer, and even have moments of euphoria when I do a really good job. Is there a cure that doesn't involve throwing away my financial security? A few years ago, I was underpaid at a scrappy little illegitimate employer, and even though I hated my boss and could barely make ends meet I loved my job. As long as I got the job done, nobody tracked my hours or worried about where I was, and I did a really good job. Some weeks, I'd get excited and work 60 or 80 hours. Other weeks I'd be tired and only put in a few hours each day. I'd wake up in the middle of the night excited about projects, and be in the office at 5 a.m. to work during moments of inspiration. I met every deadline and exceeded everyone's expectations of me.

Now that I'm at a bigger organization, I am held to actual employment law and human resources standards. No unauthorized overtime, no short days if nothing's going on, regular hours, my boss wants to know what I'm up to all the time.

I still meet deadlines, I still exceed expectations, but I'm bored out of my mind. I can't come in three hours early when I'm inspired. I can't take the afternoon off if nothing's going on. I feel like I have no autonomy. It's killing me.

Complicating things, I am at a stage in my life where I can't just pick up and go any more. For the first time in years, I am living in a city with friends and family all around me. I'm recently married, and I just bought a house. My mortgage payments are dependent on a steady income.

I don't know what to do. Do I need to get my head out of the clouds and buckle down? And how can I do that? Am I lying to myself about loving this stuff, if I'm so miserable all the time?

I just want to love my job. Short of that, I'd at least like to feel motivated to try a little harder, to care about what I'm doing, to stop feeling like I'm wasting my life in a cubicle.

Help me avoid the stinkfridge!

twiggy — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:23:05 -0800

Help me save money by bringing lunch to work: I need a mini fridge (not a dorm fridge!) that is of decent quality. I'm looking for one of those super small desktop fridges for work, because the idea of packing a lunch and putting it in the disgusting science experiment that is our community fridge is repulsive.

A google search for desktop refrigerator yielded a couple of results, but only from sellers I've never heard of and brands I've never heard of.

A couple of my coworkers have nice little ones I think are made by Sunbeam, which they got from Target a long time ago. However, no Target I've been to has ever had one in stock or even known what I was asking about.

All I need:
- Big enough to fit a sack lunch and a drink
- Small enough not to take up tons of space in my cubicle
- Someone that has actually used one to vouch for the quality!

I'm a health hazard to my new cubicle-mate.

invisible ink — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 18:13:58 -0800

I've been at my job for less than a month, and today as I was rounding a blind corner into my cubicle I collided with my co-worker who works right next to me. He slammed his shoulder into the cubicle, and even though he brushed it off as nothing, I am 99.9% sure that he will wake up with a bruise tomorrow morning. He's very friendly, but we're both so engrossed in our work that we haven't had a chance to really get to know one another. I've already apologized twice, but what can I do or say to make things less awkward?

I'm looking for a source for "alternative" cubicle walls.

jeremias — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 04:51:10 -0800

I'm looking for a source for "alternative" cubicle walls. I need to partition off part of a large room for an office, but I don't want the "classic" corporate cubicle. I was thinking of some sort of semi-opaque material to let light through but still maintain some privacy. Any pointers to pre-fabricated sources appreciated (as are alternative ideas)

I'd prefer to communicate via email...

gregvr — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 10:29:45 -0800

Trying to remember a movie with a certain scene (more inside) All I remember is that it has a scene that goes something like this:

Woman (or man... I don't quite remember) starts a new job. She reports to the job and finds that she is going to be sharing an office with her boss. Nonplused, but no big deal. She starts to talk to him and he just excitedly motions her to her computer. She sits down and gets a "you've got mail" notification.

Opens the mail, and it is an email from her boss, who is in the room with her. She reads it over, has a question, and turns to ask him. He shakes his head, and points at her computer again.

Again, the "you've got mail" sound. She opens it-- it's from him, and says, "I'd rather we communicate via email." She looks at this incredulously, turns to ask him a question, and gets another "you've got mail" sound.

This goes on for a little while, humorously escalating, until she gives up and leaves.

We just got a new bug tracking software package at work, and I was joking with a co-worker that this will enable us to work without actually talking to each other :)

is it hot in here?

garfy3 — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 16:04:20 -0800

unlike this previous query, i'm not only hot in bed, i'm hot everywhere, all the time. how can i cool myself down? so, if the room is over about 70F, i seem to sweat uncomfortably. when this happens everyday in the cubicle, i'm drained by early-afternoon, and it's not good for morale. when i don the suit and head to meetings/conferences, i spend more time mopping sweat than paying attention.

at home, i keep the air at a crisp 60F and *relish* it. but so much of life involves wearing too much clothing, sitting in a hot train, or walking in 90F air pregnant with humidity. [i live in d.c., a swamp of a town].

i've tried the coldest showers i can stand, and i even lived in hawaii for 2 years without a/c, and my body didn't adjust (not that i lived there on purpose...i just figured in retrospect that the [hellish] experience rules out 'adjusting to it').

so, are there possibly dietary/lifestyle/vitamin/horse-tranquelizer-shot strategies for this? thus far, my only respite is an ice-cold PBR with a lime in it (aka a 'redneck on vacation') right after work.

for the record, i like me some coffee (just once or twice a day), and i do exercise (run) a couple times a week. no other meds/vitamins currently in the mix. and i'm a guy, so this hopefully doesn't involve ovaries.

my lungs hurt.

Thu, 02 Feb 2006 10:01:44 -0800

third-hand smoke: is this possible? We recently had a gentleman join our workplace who is a smoker. I sit in the cubicle right next to him and the smell of smoke from him is overwhelming in my cubicle. (other coworkers have come into my cubicle and commented on the smell) He is not smoking in the office, but probably takes a smoke break or two throughout the day. I am starting to develop a phlegmy cough and my lungs ache, much like if I've been in a smoky bar for a while.
Is it possible to be affected by this "third-hand" smoke or it is just psychosomatic? (I HATE the smell of smoke)
Is there anything I can do to mitigate the problem? I don't want to change cubicles because I'm in a good location, near the people I work with most. I don't want to say/do anything because he is the boss' best friend and I fear the reprocussions. (plus, he's a nice guy, and I don't want to offend)

My cubicle is eating my soul

idlemind — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 10:53:30 -0800

What can you add to a cubicle to make it less cubicle-like? I'm starting a new job in a couple of weeks; it'll be another cube farm, 9x9 cubes, with no windows or overhead lighting. My cubicle has been described as "cold and inhuman" by some of my closest friends, and I'm terribly unimaginitive. What have others done to make their cubicles less like cubicles?

Spice Up My Cube!

onhazier — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 11:24:44 -0800

Looking for office cube decoration inspiration. My current job is in a grey cube farm. Floor to ceiling, everything is grey. I'm in the middle of the room away from the windows and I need to make my space more cheerful. Any ideas? What plants will survive in these conditions? (MI) My cube is pretty large (6 by 9 feet). I have one light directly overhead and a desk lamp. There are no limitations to what I'm allowed to bring in and use. I'm having a challenging time adjusting to this after being on the job for the past 8 months because I'm at my desk more. The number of meetings I'm attending has dropped from 5 a day to only 5 a week. Plus, fall has arrived and the little light from the windows has been greatly reduced.

My previous job at a college gave me a private office with cherry furniture and a window overlooking the lawn used for commencement. The art I used there was all large, framed pieces that won't work in my current environment.

I love my current job (better pay, interesting people, challenging tasks) and just want to make my space happier and more stimulating.