Annoying work habits

It’s easy to pinpoint the annoying habits of your co-workers, but are you aware of the things you do to irritate others? In case you thought you were blameless, consider the following:{{more}}

Please do not share. When you sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue. Covering your mouth with your hand only transfers the germs from your hand to every surface you touch: the phone, computer and the hand you just shook.

Manicures. Yes, your nails are beautiful and you may have just chipped one, but please do not pull out the fingernail file and repair your nails at your desk, during meetings or while riding in a colleague’s car. Your nail dust makes a mess of things.

Operator, may I help you? Does your mother, wife, boyfriend or sister call you at work just to discuss how their day is going? If you are on the phone speaking to a family member during a non-emergency and there’s another family member on hold, that’s a sign that you have gone too far.

Laugh fest. Laughs can vary from person to person, but it’s annoying when you get so involved with laughing that you forget you are at work. When you are the only one laughing so hard that it stops the office traffic or you are constantly told to keep it down, it’s time to plug it.

Spare me the details. You are settling down to what you hope to be a very productive day when, from the cubicle next door, you are bombarded by a phone conversation with language and family details that would make a sailor cry. Please, by all means, discuss family matters at home; do not engage in knockdown, drag-out fights on the phone within earshot of your co-workers.

What was that smell? The world is full of odours, but the human body can be quite interesting. People who work in small, tight environments fall victim to this rather foul dilemma. Please leave the room to release any offensive smells. People who drink coffee and smoke without brushing and refreshing their breath each time should be more considerate of the person directly opposite them. The least you can do is use mints.

Bubble Olympics. Gum popping and bubble blowing are not organized sports. In fact, it’s distracting, unsightly and very aggravating. Refresh your breath with a mint and keep your mouth closed.

Karen Hinds is “The Workplace Success Expert.” For a FREE SPECIAL REPORT on Avoiding Career Killers in the Workplace, send an email to info@workplacesuccess.com

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