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The writer Jean-Paul Sartre once said “hell is other people,” which, unfortunately, can be all too true at the workplace!

A recent survey by a research firm found that out of 1,000 employees, 43 percent named co-workers’ poor time management skills as the most annoying of traits, while 36 percent reported they disliked office gossipers.

Among other pet peeves reported in the study were:

  • Intrusive noise (21 percent),
  • Misuse of e-mail (12 percent),
  • Using personal electronics devices during meetings (15 percent),
  • Messy common areas (25 percent),
  • Political conversations (12 percent), and
  • Personal use of social media sites (12 percent).

However, 13 percent of those surveyed said they experienced not a one of these annoyances.

Surprisingly, the research found that older workers (55 and up) were less likely to complain about noise than younger workers (under 35). Older workers also enjoyed political discussions more than their younger counterparts. Women were more likely to be annoyed about messes in communal areas (28 percent) than were men (23 percent).

As for those workers who complained about colleagues’ poor time management skills, the biggest pet peeve (22 percent) was lobbed at co-workers who took too-long lunches or work breaks, as well as those who took too much time to surf the Web. Colleagues who “abuse” sick days and who regularly miss deadlines also fell into the poor time management category.

As could be expected, disorganized meetings also were a source of annoyance.

  • 11 percent of respondents were annoyed by meetings with no agenda or structure.
  • 10 percent disliked meetings held after or before a normal workday.
  • 10 percent were peeved with meetings that started or finished late.
  • 10 percent found those colleagues who were distracted by smartphones or by texting annoying.

As for e-mail, annoyances included:

  • The forwarding of chain e-mails and jokes (19 percent).
  • Questions asked in e-mails that had been answered in a previous e-mail (7 percent).
  • E-mails used to solicit for personal fundraising (7 percent).
  • Unnecessary carbon copies (6 percent).
  • One-word replies (5 percent).
  • An entire message typed in the message’s “Subject” line (3 percent).
  • Misusing the “reply all” (12 percent).

To deal with these annoyances, 29 percent of respondents said they spoke directly with their colleagues. Ten percent complained to a co-worker while nine percent took it up with a manager. A good 27 percent, however, reported that they do nothing.

If you believe you Just. Can’t. Take. It. Anymore and have decided it’s time to leave the annoying cubicle-mates behind, contact a recruiter at StaffEx. We have many terrific opportunities at some of the Tampa area’s best firms. We look forward to hearing from you.


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