How to address loud typing with new employee.
July 17, 2024 5:49 PM Subscribe
We just onboarded a new employee to our small business and everything is going well except for the fact that they are a *very* loud typer. We're a small team in an open plan space, and nobody has said anything, but I personally find it very distracting. I am this persons manager... Should I let it go, or are there any novel solutions I can propose?
We're a Mac office, and this person is using the latest Mac Magic Keyboard which is incredibly silent, usually. The sound in question seems to be a result both of just generally very hard typing, and some slightly longer fingernails as well. For some reason, I don't really feel comfortable bringing this up, or haven't found a way to do it that feels appropriate - at least without some kind of solution to propose. Like, I can't realistically ask them to change how they type. I looked at rubber keyboards, but I think that would also be an impediment to typing at speed, which is important in our work. Also looked at silicon covers, but I don't think it's the fingers hitting the keys which is the issue, it's the keys actually bottoming out after being struck so hard.
Again, nobody else in the office has said anything, so I think maybe it might just be an issue with me, but at the same time I don't want to let the annoyance build up over time.
Any advice?
We're a Mac office, and this person is using the latest Mac Magic Keyboard which is incredibly silent, usually. The sound in question seems to be a result both of just generally very hard typing, and some slightly longer fingernails as well. For some reason, I don't really feel comfortable bringing this up, or haven't found a way to do it that feels appropriate - at least without some kind of solution to propose. Like, I can't realistically ask them to change how they type. I looked at rubber keyboards, but I think that would also be an impediment to typing at speed, which is important in our work. Also looked at silicon covers, but I don't think it's the fingers hitting the keys which is the issue, it's the keys actually bottoming out after being struck so hard.
Again, nobody else in the office has said anything, so I think maybe it might just be an issue with me, but at the same time I don't want to let the annoyance build up over time.
Any advice?
I am a very loud typer. It's a function of learning to type on a mechanical typewriter. It can't be unlearned. I wish I could unlearn it - the force I apply is a contributing factor to my RSI.
You pretty much answer your own question: " Like, I can't realistically ask them to change how they type. " I also think you're correct in that a rubber keyboard is going to reduce this person's effective typing speed. I touch type and the difference in responsiveness is the hardest of the hard NOPES for me. It's like trying to type on a marshmallow.
This leaves solutions that are applied to you, like a noise excluding earbud, like a Loop, or introducing some white noise to your space to mitigate it. If there's an echo you can consider adding soft furnishings near their workstation to absorb sound. A desk mat under the keyboard can often help too. You could also consider moving her away from you so there's a bit of distance.
The other thing you can do is try to reframe your annoyance. When you hear it, if you say to yourself "New Hire is clearly working hard, I can hear it from here, they are not slacking off and are applying themselves consistently!" there's a good chance over time you'll build a positive association with the sound instead. I've done something similar with the barky dog next door ("Mr Dog is certainly doing his best to alert us to threats, he's very watchful and diligent") and the lunchtime screamings that filter in from the primary school round the corner from my place.
posted by Jilder at 6:02 PM on July 17, 2024 [26 favorites]
You pretty much answer your own question: " Like, I can't realistically ask them to change how they type. " I also think you're correct in that a rubber keyboard is going to reduce this person's effective typing speed. I touch type and the difference in responsiveness is the hardest of the hard NOPES for me. It's like trying to type on a marshmallow.
This leaves solutions that are applied to you, like a noise excluding earbud, like a Loop, or introducing some white noise to your space to mitigate it. If there's an echo you can consider adding soft furnishings near their workstation to absorb sound. A desk mat under the keyboard can often help too. You could also consider moving her away from you so there's a bit of distance.
The other thing you can do is try to reframe your annoyance. When you hear it, if you say to yourself "New Hire is clearly working hard, I can hear it from here, they are not slacking off and are applying themselves consistently!" there's a good chance over time you'll build a positive association with the sound instead. I've done something similar with the barky dog next door ("Mr Dog is certainly doing his best to alert us to threats, he's very watchful and diligent") and the lunchtime screamings that filter in from the primary school round the corner from my place.
posted by Jilder at 6:02 PM on July 17, 2024 [26 favorites]
I think mayyyybe you could pitch it not as "hey you're annoying me" but more like hey I happened to notice you type *really hard* (you know, no judgment, personal differences, whatever). Learning to be more efficient and minimum-force-necessary with your movements might reduce the risk of repetitive stress injury. Or something like that.
Problem with the "you're annoying others" approach is, it's your office layout, manager. You don't like the way I type you're welcome to get me an office.
posted by ctmf at 6:03 PM on July 17, 2024 [20 favorites]
Problem with the "you're annoying others" approach is, it's your office layout, manager. You don't like the way I type you're welcome to get me an office.
posted by ctmf at 6:03 PM on July 17, 2024 [20 favorites]
Do you maybe think this is part of why "open plan space" is hated by most office workers?
You're right, it can be annoying to work right next to a loud typist/keyboard pair. And you're also right: you can't reasonably ask a worker to change the fundamental manner in which they type, just to suit your preferences.
So my advice is learn to care less, use tools to help you hear less, and lead your team to advocate for a more divided space with better acoustic ergonomics. In principle you can work on this from three angles at once, and likely improve a lot of other audio/visual distractions for the rest of your team too.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:21 PM on July 17, 2024 [48 favorites]
You're right, it can be annoying to work right next to a loud typist/keyboard pair. And you're also right: you can't reasonably ask a worker to change the fundamental manner in which they type, just to suit your preferences.
So my advice is learn to care less, use tools to help you hear less, and lead your team to advocate for a more divided space with better acoustic ergonomics. In principle you can work on this from three angles at once, and likely improve a lot of other audio/visual distractions for the rest of your team too.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:21 PM on July 17, 2024 [48 favorites]
I agree with your instinct that you can't ask the employee to type differently, that's just not reasonable. General sound mitigation in the office is a good idea that will benefit everyone, though.
posted by Ausamor at 6:25 PM on July 17, 2024 [7 favorites]
posted by Ausamor at 6:25 PM on July 17, 2024 [7 favorites]
I looked at rubber keyboards, but I think that would also be an impediment to typing at speed, which is important in our work.
Thing is, asking someone to change anything about the way they type is going to make them have to slow down, think about it, and practice slowly until it becomes a new habit. (Even if they didn't get offended and took your request seriously).
posted by ctmf at 6:28 PM on July 17, 2024 [2 favorites]
Thing is, asking someone to change anything about the way they type is going to make them have to slow down, think about it, and practice slowly until it becomes a new habit. (Even if they didn't get offended and took your request seriously).
posted by ctmf at 6:28 PM on July 17, 2024 [2 favorites]
If I were a new employee in an office and my boss came at me because I typed too loud I would quit. Buy headphones.
posted by Amy93 at 6:28 PM on July 17, 2024 [43 favorites]
posted by Amy93 at 6:28 PM on July 17, 2024 [43 favorites]
Two different companies I've worked for have provided noise-cancelling headphones to employees working in open-plan offices, either as "here's a gift to all of you so you'll please stop complaining about the seating arrangement" or "you can expense one option from this list of approved headphones because we acknowledge this is loud and sometimes you need to focus." Seems like a reasonable perk to request from the Powers that Be -- worst they can say is no.
posted by Alterscape at 6:31 PM on July 17, 2024 [6 favorites]
posted by Alterscape at 6:31 PM on July 17, 2024 [6 favorites]
You'll get used to it.
posted by Miko at 6:36 PM on July 17, 2024 [9 favorites]
posted by Miko at 6:36 PM on July 17, 2024 [9 favorites]
Sorry, boss, sounds like me. I pound the MacBook keyboard and I’m sure it’s annoying, but 40 years of practice 8 hours a day can’t change meaningfully in less than several painful years. 🤷
posted by tristeza at 6:40 PM on July 17, 2024 [4 favorites]
posted by tristeza at 6:40 PM on July 17, 2024 [4 favorites]
Why is asking to moderate their typing noise unreasonable? As a manager, I've done it, and they did (and they didn't quit, and there was no resentment).
posted by scruss at 7:05 PM on July 17, 2024 [6 favorites]
posted by scruss at 7:05 PM on July 17, 2024 [6 favorites]
On the surface this looks like BEC Syndrome (bitch eating crackers), but perhaps you are noticeably? significantly? above the zero end of the misophonia continuum. There are Techniques(tm) to help with that, in all the usual places. I feel for you; the struggle is real. (Don't ask me how I know, lol.) Best wishes in finding effective methods to cope/desensitize/distract/etc.
posted by concinnity at 7:08 PM on July 17, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by concinnity at 7:08 PM on July 17, 2024 [3 favorites]
Yup, this is something you need to manage on your end, not theirs. Much sympathy, and I hope eventually your brain learns to process it as part of the background noise of your workplace, but until then, earplugs or headphones may be your new best friend.
posted by Stacey at 7:30 PM on July 17, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by Stacey at 7:30 PM on July 17, 2024 [2 favorites]
I also had a boss who complained about my “loud typing” in a similar setting. He wasn’t evil, but he was the kind of boss who would fixate on stuff like that while ignoring actual workplace dysfunction. I started job hunting right after that conversation. I quit as soon as I got a decent offer.
If typing at speed is a significant function of the job, I’m afraid you’ll find that many of your best candidates will also be loud typists — especially if, like me, they’re of a certain vintage that actually had to learn touch-typing, and learned it on keyboards that demanded real intention.
This is a pick-your-battles thing, I’m afraid.
posted by armeowda at 8:50 PM on July 17, 2024 [10 favorites]
If typing at speed is a significant function of the job, I’m afraid you’ll find that many of your best candidates will also be loud typists — especially if, like me, they’re of a certain vintage that actually had to learn touch-typing, and learned it on keyboards that demanded real intention.
This is a pick-your-battles thing, I’m afraid.
posted by armeowda at 8:50 PM on July 17, 2024 [10 favorites]
Ok this is kind of weird but like...with super annoying sounds and some voices I find grating I just kind of...a switch somehow flips in my brain and the sounds become oddly soothing? Like very opposite of grating. Problem is I don't know how my brain does this. But yeah maybe reframing as mentioned above.
posted by bookworm4125 at 9:41 PM on July 17, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by bookworm4125 at 9:41 PM on July 17, 2024 [2 favorites]
My ex is a programmer and he had a Mac and had a quiet keyboard that was really quiet! So maybe get her one of those.
posted by bookworm4125 at 9:42 PM on July 17, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by bookworm4125 at 9:42 PM on July 17, 2024 [1 favorite]
I am out of step here but in case an outlier opinion is valuable: if this person’s typing is noticeably louder than everyone else’s and you’re truly distracted by it, I think you do have the standing to bring it up.
In an open plan office everyone has to be a little more mindful. When I had my own office I’d eat yogurt at my desk. Yogurt seems so innocuous, and yet. In an open plan I became aware that if I ate a yogurt I’d be exposing everyone to a smell and the sound of a spoon scraping the cup (actually never realized I SCRAPED the cup until I heard the sound ringing out. The horror.) It’s not that eating a yogurt was rude in and of itself; it’s more that there are things you shouldn’t do in close quarters.
As a manager I normally wouldn’t advise soft-pedaling reasonable requests, but in this case since you’re right that it could sound so personal, you may need to frame it as strictly a you thing and a keyboard thing.
Like “I’ve been noticing your keyboard is a little noisy and I’m the kind of person who’s easily distracted by sounds like that. Could we try swapping it out with this [quietest keyboard available] keyboard? Thanks for humoring me, let me know if there’s anything you need to make the space work better for you too.”
If the keyboard doesn’t work, the fact that she’s now aware you’re sensitive to that sound might help her adjust her attack. I’m hearing others say this can’t be done but it’s possible she’s just totally unaware and never thought about it before.
posted by kapers at 10:11 PM on July 17, 2024 [4 favorites]
In an open plan office everyone has to be a little more mindful. When I had my own office I’d eat yogurt at my desk. Yogurt seems so innocuous, and yet. In an open plan I became aware that if I ate a yogurt I’d be exposing everyone to a smell and the sound of a spoon scraping the cup (actually never realized I SCRAPED the cup until I heard the sound ringing out. The horror.) It’s not that eating a yogurt was rude in and of itself; it’s more that there are things you shouldn’t do in close quarters.
As a manager I normally wouldn’t advise soft-pedaling reasonable requests, but in this case since you’re right that it could sound so personal, you may need to frame it as strictly a you thing and a keyboard thing.
Like “I’ve been noticing your keyboard is a little noisy and I’m the kind of person who’s easily distracted by sounds like that. Could we try swapping it out with this [quietest keyboard available] keyboard? Thanks for humoring me, let me know if there’s anything you need to make the space work better for you too.”
If the keyboard doesn’t work, the fact that she’s now aware you’re sensitive to that sound might help her adjust her attack. I’m hearing others say this can’t be done but it’s possible she’s just totally unaware and never thought about it before.
posted by kapers at 10:11 PM on July 17, 2024 [4 favorites]
Best answer: If spending real money is a possibility, then Wasd keyboards have nice mechanical keyboards with o ring dampers as an option. I haven't tried one myself but if you got one with the stiffer keys (cherry clears might work, tactile but silent) and o rings that could do it. If they hate the keyboard I'd bet someone else would take it.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 11:24 PM on July 17, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 11:24 PM on July 17, 2024 [2 favorites]
Buy everyone else Model M keyboards. It'll cover up the new guy's noise.
posted by flimflam at 12:55 AM on July 18, 2024 [5 favorites]
posted by flimflam at 12:55 AM on July 18, 2024 [5 favorites]
Best answer: A thick felt pad under my keyboard has helped me—I am extremely distracted by the crisp, tactile reverberations and echoes made by typing with the keyboard resting on a hard desk surface. I also, when in a group setting, wear noise-reducing earplugs (I have two different levels of reduction from the Loop brand and love them both) or when I need extra help I pop on cancelling headphones. Each of these has been a remarkable improvement. I remember early days of my first role in a shared space (a laboratory filled with hard, echo-blasting surfaces) and KNOWING that I would never be able to adjust to it. That still feels true, and I'm grateful for these simple interventions (even though simple doesn't always mean cheap).
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:10 AM on July 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:10 AM on July 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
This is a function of hiring somebody who had to learn to touch type at speed back on a mechanical machine. While I do disagree that people can't unlearn this they would have to a) want to and b) it would take time and c) they may never have as light a touch as somebody who has only ever typed on computer keyboards. So there is no guarantee that speaking up would achieve the desired outcome. What is certain is that you'd lose a lot of goodwill from this employee/risk losing the employee entirely.
Especially if the office is small, I like the idea of offering everybody the option to expense noise cancelling ear buds or headphones from a list of devices or an amount the company is willing to contribute to such a device of their choice/their existing device if they want to start to use it at work.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:22 AM on July 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
Especially if the office is small, I like the idea of offering everybody the option to expense noise cancelling ear buds or headphones from a list of devices or an amount the company is willing to contribute to such a device of their choice/their existing device if they want to start to use it at work.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:22 AM on July 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I maybe depends on whether there is any difference between this person's keyboard and everybody else's. I note that keyboards like the Logitec MX mechanical keyboard come with different switches for difference feel and noise profiles. The brown switches are supposed to give good tactile feedback but with a low noise.
posted by rongorongo at 4:03 AM on July 18, 2024
posted by rongorongo at 4:03 AM on July 18, 2024
If the keyboard is provided by the workplace, change it out for one that's quiet. You may not be justly able to tell someone to learn new typing skills, but you can definitely mitigate their effect. Changing provided equipment is entirely within your workplace domain.
I learned to type on mechanical keyboards and an Atari 400 membrane keyboard that gave me joint pain and I'm not real gentle on the keys, but I now type on an Apple keyboard and it's nearly silent anyway. Logitech also makes good keyboards with quiet technology.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:54 AM on July 18, 2024
I learned to type on mechanical keyboards and an Atari 400 membrane keyboard that gave me joint pain and I'm not real gentle on the keys, but I now type on an Apple keyboard and it's nearly silent anyway. Logitech also makes good keyboards with quiet technology.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:54 AM on July 18, 2024
Best answer: Loops for you and a neoprene desk pad under the keyboard for Mx Tappy. Consider having a bin of loaner keyboards people can try to find one that suits them, like a pillow menu.
posted by Iteki at 5:58 AM on July 18, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by Iteki at 5:58 AM on July 18, 2024 [2 favorites]
If you get a new keyboard, please get them for all or at least a small handful of your employees, rather than just for this particular employee. No point in making the newbie stick out even more for something they can’t control, especially when no one else in the office seems to have noticed so far.
posted by donut_princess at 6:30 AM on July 18, 2024 [5 favorites]
posted by donut_princess at 6:30 AM on July 18, 2024 [5 favorites]
My mom told me that in the 1940s/1950s, there used to be something called a “typing pool” or “secretarial pool,” where women sat at rows of desks, clacking away all day on manual typewriters. So loud keyboards in an open plan space aren’t a new thing, except that apparently there’s only one in your office.
Since you seem to be the only person bothered by the keyboard noise, get some headphones. But please don’t make this new employee feel it’s their fault for being a fast, accurate typist.
posted by elphaba at 6:43 AM on July 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
Since you seem to be the only person bothered by the keyboard noise, get some headphones. But please don’t make this new employee feel it’s their fault for being a fast, accurate typist.
posted by elphaba at 6:43 AM on July 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
Another vote for mechanical keyboard with brown switches from a person of an age to have learned touch typing. I’ve used the Logitech MX and it is a good one for general use.
posted by matildaben at 8:17 AM on July 18, 2024
posted by matildaben at 8:17 AM on July 18, 2024
I understand office space is going begging now. Get the company to move to a place with actual offices with doors and the problem (and many other ones) will go away. Open-plan cube farms are a blight on the world and usually the people that settle on them have an actual office.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 9:17 AM on July 18, 2024 [6 favorites]
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 9:17 AM on July 18, 2024 [6 favorites]
If you get pads to go under keyboards, then you need to get them for everyone. You should not be singling out this one person.
posted by brookeb at 9:23 AM on July 18, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by brookeb at 9:23 AM on July 18, 2024 [3 favorites]
It's possible to get mechanical keyboards with quiet switches. They still won't be silent (even if branded as such), but something that is meant to be very quiet while still having some tactile feedback would likely work well.
A potentially worse option is to go the other direction, and have everyone install Noisy Typer, which will make every computer sound like an old-school typewriter, regardless of how delicately they type. Perhaps the resulting cacophony would be easier to ignore.
posted by whisk(e)y neat at 9:35 PM on July 18, 2024
A potentially worse option is to go the other direction, and have everyone install Noisy Typer, which will make every computer sound like an old-school typewriter, regardless of how delicately they type. Perhaps the resulting cacophony would be easier to ignore.
posted by whisk(e)y neat at 9:35 PM on July 18, 2024
In addition to headphones, get a chunky plant and a little USB fan and place them on your desk between you and the loud typist. Can you face another direction or move your desk so your ears are not pointing at their keyboard?
posted by meepmeow at 11:55 AM on July 20, 2024
posted by meepmeow at 11:55 AM on July 20, 2024
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Headphones + listen to music
Moving your desk
Allowing the employee to work from home
You go work from home
posted by phunniemee at 6:01 PM on July 17, 2024 [35 favorites]