CUBE LIFE: Office Etiquette

[ChickenPho]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Don't forget the person(s) that don't cover their lunch in the microwave and allow it to pop and splash all over the inside.

The microwaves at some of the place I have worked would/should be condemned by the health board!

Haha YES! A couple weeks ago one of the ladies here decided that it was a wonderful idea to microwave her nasty dish. It was like some kind of veal, but it smelt like a dead rat. She stunk up the entire office so bad that we had to use two cans of Lysol just to kill it.

And what does she do? She just laughs about it like it was nothing

Like I said, these morons are just so inconsiderate of others, they only think of themselves and dont think before they act. If you're in doubt whether or not you should do something, chances are you shouldnt. But some are just so relentless, they dont care about others.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I've walked in on guys washing their feet in the sink. I get that it's a religious thing for some people but in a public sink it's kind of gross IMO.

Sorry what?

What religion requires you to wash your feet in a public sink?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by ChickenPho

Haha YES! A couple weeks ago one of the ladies here decided that it was a wonderful idea to microwave her nasty dish. It was like some kind of veal, but it smelt like a dead rat. She stunk up the entire office so bad that we had to use two cans of Lysol just to kill it.

And what does she do? She just laughs about it like it was nothing

Like I said, these morons are just so inconsiderate of others, they only think of themselves and dont think before they act. If you're in doubt whether or not you should do something, chances are you shouldnt. But some are just so relentless, they dont care about others.

I have an employee that is on a Kimchi kick. That is stinky stuff.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I've walked in on guys washing their feet in the sink. I get that it's a religious thing for some people but in a public sink it's kind of gross IMO.

Oh, it was you then? In my defense, I did offer you to join in the prayer.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Sorry what?

What religion requires you to wash your feet in a public sink?

Muslims must wash their feet before prayer. I don't think it is unfair or wrong for a Muslim to wash their feet in the sink if they have no other option.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Muslims must wash their feet before prayer. I don't think it is unfair or wrong for a Muslim to wash their feet in the sink if they have no other option.

WTF? No green text?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Muslims must wash their feet before prayer. I don't think it is unfair or wrong for a Muslim to wash their feet in the sink if they have no other option.

I had no idea they needed to do that before prayer.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

WTF? No green text?

Why would it need green text? It is part of their religious act and they have the freedom to practice their religion and as such if they need the sink for washing their feet so be it.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Why would it need green text? It is part of their religious act and they have the freedom to practice their religion and as such if they need the sink for washing their feet so be it.

Only if it does not interfere with general public's right of enjoyment the public (or quasi-public) property. Washing feet in a public sink is gross. I do get the tolerance point. But take your argument one step further. What if someone's religion requires them to wash genitals before a prayer. Would that be OK to wash them in a public sink too?

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Only if it does not interfere with general public's right of enjoyment the public (or quasi-public) property. Washing feet in a public sink is gross. I do get the tolerance point. But take your argument one step further. What if someone's religion requires them to wash genitals before a prayer. Would that be OK to wash them in a public sink too?

If that was the case and the person (s) required facilities to wash their genitals and made a request to their employer they would have to provide those facilities.

[GreenLantern]

I have a girl in my cubicle circle who constantly makes personal calls on the office phone (its one phone for four of us here) that she keeps at her desk. She talks very loud and it is very distracting, sometimes the calls go on for 20 minutes. On top of that her husband will call it constantly, letting it ring indefinitely if we don't pick up. We are then met with a snide remark when we tell him she isn't here, and an urge to punch him in the face.

I've asked her to take the personal calls on her cell phone outside the room or at the very least keep her voice down and keep them short. I was met with a lot of attitude and she still continues to do it. I don't want to be a 'rat', but do I have any other options besides going above her? I know for a fact the other two people feel the same way as me.

She isn't in every day, and sometimes only works half days when she is, so ... I wouldn't say it is a daily occurrence, but 2.5 times a week is probably the average.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

I have a girl in my cubicle circle who constantly makes personal calls on the office phone (its one phone for four of us here) that she keeps at her desk. She talks very loud and it is very distracting, sometimes the calls go on for 20 minutes. On top of that her husband will call it constantly, letting it ring indefinitely if we don't pick up. We are then met with a snide remark when we tell him she isn't here, and an urge to punch him in the face.

I've asked her to take the personal calls on her cell phone outside the room or at the very least keep her voice down and keep them short. I was met with a lot of attitude and she still continues to do it. I don't want to be a 'rat', but do I have any other options besides going above her? I know for a fact the other two people feel the same way as me.

She isn't in every day, and sometimes only works half days when she is, so ... I wouldn't say it is a daily occurrence, but 2.5 times a week is probably the average.

1 phone for 4 employees......WTF?

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

If that was the case and the person (s) required facilities to wash their genitals and made a request to their employer they would have to provide those facilities.

So, I guess you draw your personal grossness tolerance line at someone's feet in the public sink. I draw it at hands and face.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

So, I guess you draw your personal grossness tolerance line at someone's feet in the public sink. I draw it at hands and face.

What is the difference between washing of feet and washing of potentially #### covered hands in the sink?

[Stealth22]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

I have a girl in my cubicle circle who constantly makes personal calls on the office phone (its one phone for four of us here) that she keeps at her desk. She talks very loud and it is very distracting, sometimes the calls go on for 20 minutes. On top of that her husband will call it constantly, letting it ring indefinitely if we don't pick up. We are then met with a snide remark when we tell him she isn't here, and an urge to punch him in the face.

I've asked her to take the personal calls on her cell phone outside the room or at the very least keep her voice down and keep them short. I was met with a lot of attitude and she still continues to do it. I don't want to be a 'rat', but do I have any other options besides going above her? I know for a fact the other two people feel the same way as me.

She isn't in every day, and sometimes only works half days when she is, so ... I wouldn't say it is a daily occurrence, but 2.5 times a week is probably the average.

How does she get any work done while being constantly on the phone?

I wouldn't have any qualms about talking to a manager about it. They're not going to say it was you who told on her. And even if she figures it out, which she might, just ignore the dirty looks she gives you afterward. If she confronts you, just say, "Well, I don't mean to be rude, but we all find it very distracting and disrespectful. To be fair, I brought it up with you before, and all I got was a rude response in return, and you didn't do anything to remedy the situation."

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

What is the difference between washing of feet and washing of potentially #### covered hands in the sink?

You can't win this argument. Why do you wear shoes? Why do you not wear a swimsuit to the office? Because it's not appropriate within common societal norms. No shoes and swimsuits are OK on a beach but not in the office. Same logic for washing feet in an office washroom. Our office has a shower room for those that excercise during lunch hour. But if it didn't, I would definitely not be OK with sweaty people taking baths in the washroom sinks.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

I have a girl in my cubicle circle who constantly makes personal calls on the office phone (its one phone for four of us here) that she keeps at her desk. She talks very loud and it is very distracting, sometimes the calls go on for 20 minutes. On top of that her husband will call it constantly, letting it ring indefinitely if we don't pick up. We are then met with a snide remark when we tell him she isn't here, and an urge to punch him in the face.

I've asked her to take the personal calls on her cell phone outside the room or at the very least keep her voice down and keep them short. I was met with a lot of attitude and she still continues to do it. I don't want to be a 'rat', but do I have any other options besides going above her? I know for a fact the other two people feel the same way as me.

She isn't in every day, and sometimes only works half days when she is, so ... I wouldn't say it is a daily occurrence, but 2.5 times a week is probably the average.

If it interferes with business being conducted, then it needs to be dealt with immediately.

[rohara66]

Um yaaaaa.....

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

You can't win this argument. Why do you wear shoes? Why do you not wear a swimsuit to the office? Because it's not appropriate within common societal norms. No shoes and swimsuits are OK on a beach but not in the office. Same logic for washing feet in an office washroom. Our office has a shower room for those that excercise during lunch hour. But if it didn't, I would definitely not be OK with sweaty people taking baths in the washroom sinks.

I have nothing to win or lose. If a Muslim in my office needed to wash their feet in the sink before prayer because there was no other option it isn't an act that is going to offend me or cause me to get all pissy about.

[Sylvanfan]

The office I work in used to be pretty bad for people chatting at cubicles. One of the problems was that the previous manager had an office that was a long way from the area where most of the noise tended to build. Another one was that he tended to sit in his office a lot and not really get out.

So when I was tasked with managing the office, I moved into a small office that is close to where the action was, and kept the problem people in that area so I could watch them more often. I took the quieter more independent people and moved them to the extremities (although surprisingly even they tend to be on the phone a lot they are just a lot quieter). I also try to make an effort to randomly get out and visit everyone to do spot checks on them. Although with a short staffed department it's not always easy as I still end up having to do a fair bit of work myself.

I still catch people on cell phones not working or on personal calls during work hours. As best I can I will ask them why they are on the phone about non work issues at that point in time. I know one guy I asked him how often he phones his wife at work at a much lower paying job....he said never. I asked him why it was okay for her to constantly phone him at his job which is the one that pays the bills in his family. He really had no answer for that. You can't deny people those important more emergency based calls....but it's difficult when you walk into a place where the culture has been to permit that type of activity and than you try to change 10+ years of bad habits that have developed. Which in the case of the office I work in...most people have been there for that long. I tell them at our meetings that they're all accountable to each other, and that their bonuses, and company share values are impacted when people don't do their work. So they owe it to each other to do their work in a timely and efficient manner. But it's cliquey, and you do run the risk of the different groups tying to fight each other.