I work at the help desk for my company's IT dept, and I generally spend a lot of my time on the phone with users. Being an introverted person, this can be exhausting, so when I'm not on the phone I prefer to not have to talk to anyone. The problem is that where I work, people from other parts of IT are always coming in to the help desk office looking for conversation/socialization and this is stressing me out. In past jobs I've always handled my social awkwardness by just being a very hard worker and gaining respect that way....this is the first job I've ever had where there seems to be a definite social component to getting by. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 30, 2009 - 10 answers

What color(s) should we paint the walls in our cubicle-filled office environment? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 30, 2007 - 12 answers

Can some people please tell me what they enjoy about the typical office environment? [more inside]
posted by Oh Indeed on Jan 6, 2006 - 40 answers

I've recently moved into a new cubicle with new neighbours. The problem is, there are now 2 women in a very close vicinity to me who are constantly laughing all day long and it grates on my nerves. [mi]

These two women do not work in the same department as me (we share the office space with other unrelated business units) and I rarely have any interaction with them except an occasional "hi" and "bye" at the door. I've spoken with other people around me, and they feel much the same way as me but perhaps not as strongly.

I've taken the liberty of buying a set of headphones and listening to music while I work to try and drown them out. But their laughing is extremely high-pitched and even when I crank up the music, I can STILL hear them! It also makes me out to look like a slacker and I can't hear when people come up from behind me to ask me stuff.

Their laughing breaks my concentration and I can hear the other woman taking personal calls all day long and she speaks loud enough that I can hear her whole conversation.

That being said, how can I improve my office situation without coming off looking whiny or creating any enemies around me? [more inside]
posted by PWA_BadBoy on Jun 30, 2004 - 23 answers