Keeping ON TRACK with Rhonda

Discussions from my monthly ezine. A place to publish questions, requests and general conversation.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Do you work in a "Cube Farm"?


Cubicle Life can be great if you are a social person, and can be a nightmare if others are not respectful of the shared space. In Novembers's article http://www.on-the-right-track.com/article.php we discuss some rules that should be followed by everyone who works in cubicles. Some may be common sense, but I've discovered that common sense is not always common practice; so I put these rules to paper.

This list is by no means complete, so please post your cubicle pet peeves. What do people in cubicles do that you wish they wouldn't do? And since these pet peeves are the first step in creating conflict, you may wish to visit my new site http://www.DealingWithDifficultPeople.org to read about tips and solutions or sign up for our upcoming teleseminars: Dealing with Difficult People on December 11th or Confrontation Skills on February 13th.

Thanks for sharing, and I hope that you feel better after you unload in your comments (better make them from Anonymous just in case!)

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posted by Rhonda! @ 10:00 AM  

4 Comments:

  • At 3:08 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Yes, I work in a cube farm, for the government. You failed to mention the poor sods that have cubicals with low walls. The support staff, or the captive audience staff. Being the lowest on the totem pole, means you often have to look interested while your higher paid co-workers look for a break from their private oasis.
    My pet peeves are people coming to work with colds. You not only run the risk of catching their colds, but you get the pleasure of listening to them snort sniffle and swallow it. Also, the smokers. They come back from a smoke and everyone gets to smell it for an hour. Not great when you work in a sealed office. I always chuckle when I hear a co-worker whine that they are so busy, yet they seem to have plenty of time to talk loudly and disrupt everyone. Their ADD disorder is not good in a cube farm.
    If co-workers were respectful of each other, then a work day would go so much smoother.
    I am not interested in my neighbours knitting projects or her kids behaviour. Keep things professional.
    I'm ranting, and I don't even feel better for it. Working in a cube farm is a test on a person's patience, tolerance and their character. Canadians are raised in open spaces, yet we seem to end up in a Japanese style, high density work environment. It's a huge adjustment, and some people never make this adjustment, esp the selfish ones.

     

  • At 4:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I have thought about addressing this issue on several different occasions as well as discussed it with my team members, who all feel the same way but no one wants to say anything.
    We have a co-worker, who talks loud when he is on the phone with his wife. However, that's not the worst part, he is demeaning towards her, talks to her like a child, often cursing and yelling at her so we can all hear. Not only is it unprofessional and inappropriate for the workplace, it's also morally and socially unexceptable.
    It's very difficult in any setting to listen to a man speak to a woman in this manner...how do you handle it in a professional environment?

     

  • At 10:01 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Kudos on a very helpful post!

    Two tips when I am dealing with a difficult person:
    1. Look to their positive intent especially when they appear to have none

    2. When you throw mud you get dirty.

    - Kare Anderson, movingfrommetowe.com

     

  • At 1:44 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Interesting to know.

     

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