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Your office isn't the universe.
My only complaint is hearing people eat. It's distracting. That's why my desk isn't in the break room or the bathroom, it's my WORK area. I don't believe you're really arguing your right to be annoying, are you?
If you're sure you're not a loud eater, choosing to eat while on the phone and talking loud with food in your mouth, then I'm not inferring that you're obnoxious. It's the lady who eats pancakes at her desk, so she can log onto her computer on time, and appear as if she made it in on time "ready to go", instead of getting up on time to eat breakfast at home. Guess what? She's not really working, but we're both getting paid, and I get to watch this very large lady try to pick up her napkins for her syrup, but she can barely bend over, breathing very loudly with food in her mouth.
I like how the Desk Eaters make it sound like they're part of the Japanese work culture where the workers are logging in 100 hours of OT and live at their desk, they have no choice but to continue sitting there and eating, there's work to finish and stressful deadlines! ....except no, it's only 8 hours for most, and the ones eating pancakes and Doritos with candy dishes out, are not chained to their desks by anything other than laziness and a "who-cares-if-im-bothering-YOU" attitude. A sign more of our culture, not one of those working themselves to death.
You've got it completely backwards - most everyone has said they eat at their desk not because they live at their desk and work 100 hours, but so that they can get work finished in order to leave sooner.
So basically this is just about some diatribe on your part, completely unrelated to the actual discussion going on here.
You've got it completely backwards - most everyone has said they eat at their desk not because they live at their desk and work 100 hours, but so that they can get work finished in order to leave sooner.
So basically this is just about some diatribe on your part, completely unrelated to the actual discussion going on here.
But her whole point is that she doesn't like hearing people eat....
What kind of office layout is this that you can hear people eating, and what kind of co-workers are they that they are so obnoxiously loud that it bothers someone else? Are these open floor plans with your co-workers sitting right on top of you? We work in cubicles with relatively high walls. So I wouldn't even know if my co-worker was across the aisle snacking on something.
I remember there was thread like this several months back where some went to the extent that you shouldn't have drinks or snacks at your desk. I'm all for venting about indiscretions in the workplace, but even I have my limitations. This topic seems ridiculous, unless someone is legitimately bringing in smelly foods that are so pungent that it is causing an issue with productivity and happiness in the workplace.
Not everyone has a breakroom - we lost ours shortly before I was hired because the space was needed for a conference room. Staff is growing but there's very limited space to grow into.
I work at a university and while there are places to go on campus, most are LOUD and filled with students. There are also no microwaves in the student center. Eating lunch at my desk allows me to surf the web, handle personal email or writing, or, until recently, work on grad school assignments in peace. More often than not, my workload is such that I really can't afford to take my whole hour lunch or I'll be stressed trying to complete everything. I would have to walk 10 minutes each way to the library for lunch otherwise, and food is not allowed except in a small, loud cafe area.
If management doesn't want us to work at our desks, they would provide us a break room and reasonable workload. So frequently, they don't, so while I'm not about to microwave fish, I'm also not going to skip my lunch.
Not everyone has a breakroom - we lost ours shortly before I was hired because the space was needed for a conference room. Staff is growing but there's very limited space to grow into.
I work at a university and while there are places to go on campus, most are LOUD and filled with students. There are also no microwaves in the student center. Eating lunch at my desk allows me to surf the web, handle personal email or writing, or, until recently, work on grad school assignments in peace. More often than not, my workload is such that I really can't afford to take my whole hour lunch or I'll be stressed trying to complete everything. I would have to walk 10 minutes each way to the library for lunch otherwise, and food is not allowed except in a small, loud cafe area.
If management doesn't want us to work at our desks, they would provide us a break room and reasonable workload. So frequently, they don't, so while I'm not about to microwave fish, I'm also not going to skip my lunch.
Yes, that's similar to me. I'm at a hospital and my building, which is on the far reaches of the campus, does not have a lunchroom. We do have a fridge and microwave squeezed into a copy room but there's no where to eat in there.
As I mentioned before, I happen to have a private office so I'm not disturbing anyone, but the people who are in cubes also eat at their desks, because it's the only thing that make sense logistically. And if you go during prime lunch hours, you might not even get a seat in the cafeteria because it's small and lots of patients use it during lunchtime.
Your office isn't the universe.
My only complaint is hearing people eat. It's distracting. That's why my desk isn't in the break room or the bathroom, it's my WORK area. I don't believe you're really arguing your right to be annoying, are you?
If you're sure you're not a loud eater, choosing to eat while on the phone and talking loud with food in your mouth, then I'm not inferring that you're obnoxious. It's the lady who eats pancakes at her desk, so she can log onto her computer on time, and appear as if she made it in on time "ready to go", instead of getting up on time to eat breakfast at home. Guess what? She's not really working, but we're both getting paid, and I get to watch this very large lady try to pick up her napkins for her syrup, but she can barely bend over, breathing very loudly with food in her mouth.
I like how the Desk Eaters make it sound like they're part of the Japanese work culture where the workers are logging in 100 hours of OT and live at their desk, they have no choice but to continue sitting there and eating, there's work to finish and stressful deadlines! ....except no, it's only 8 hours for most, and the ones eating pancakes and Doritos with candy dishes out, are not chained to their desks by anything other than laziness and a "who-cares-if-im-bothering-YOU" attitude. A sign more of our culture, not one of those working themselves to death.
For $10, you can get a pair of cheap earbuds so you don't be distracted.
You are bothered by eating sounds. I am bothered by people who seem to only know how to type with brute force and by a few people on my hall in cubes whose job requires them to be on the phone frequently. Rather than ask them to type or talk softer, I take responsibility for myself and adjust my own habits to make my work environment more comfortable.
I never believe a workspace is meant for eating. There is the cafeteria for that, I don't even eat at my desk at home. I have had to work at desks that had crumbs all over them sticky from spilled beverages, etc it's disgusting.
I never believe a workspace is meant for eating. There is the cafeteria for that, I don't even eat at my desk at home. I have had to work at desks that had crumbs all over them sticky from spilled beverages, etc it's disgusting.
You should read through the comments. You'll realize that not every workplace has a conveniently located cafeteria for everyone to go to.
I don't like eating in a car either, and it's definitely not meant for eating in. However, on long road trips where time is of the essence, it just makes sense.
For $10, you can get a pair of cheap earbuds so you don't be distracted.
You are bothered by eating sounds. I am bothered by people who seem to only know how to type with brute force and by a few people on my hall in cubes whose job requires them to be on the phone frequently. Rather than ask them to type or talk softer, I take responsibility for myself and adjust my own habits to make my work environment more comfortable.
Hope that helps.
So I "don't be distracted"? I'm giving my opinion, I done expect change, read the thread title.
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I'm all for venting about indiscretions in the workplace, but even I have my limitations. This topic seems ridiculous, unless someone is legitimately bringing in smelly foods that are so pungent that it is causing an issue with productivity and happiness in the workplace.
