How to Handle Distracting Coworkers When Management Won't Intervene?

I am working with an IT Company as an HR Manager. There are two employees in our office, and they both are working as BDE (one male and one female). They sit just beside my cubicle, and I see them always whispering, gossiping, and laughing almost for 6 hours a day. Somehow, they irritate me. The female employee is used to laughing loudly.

Now, when I drew attention to my director, he said he would take care of these matters. Actually, they both are doing well with their work, and the director feels that they are good employees and well professional too. However, whatever they are discussing is related to their work only. But it's not like that.

Somehow, they ignore my presence and continue their chit-chat the whole day. Even when I have seen them flirting with each other, they go out during office hours to have ice cream or snacks anytime without informing me.

When I mention this to my director, he doesn't take it seriously and doesn't take any action. I feel that even if I have the power as an HR manager, I couldn't do anything in this matter. The fact is that I cannot even focus on my work due to this.

Can anyone suggest what I should do in this situation?

If you think their working style is disturbing, here are your options:

a) You have to see if you can change your seat.

b) You can request or remind them again and again to maintain a low volume.

c) You can use cotton pads for your ears.

d) Convince your seniors to take some action.

Unfortunately, they are not doing anything which can be called 'Unprofessional.' Moreover, their boss seems to be happy with their work. If you think they are doing anything which is against company culture or norms, then you have to collect evidence regarding it. Maybe CCTV or audio recording of their loud behavior might help. You need to take approvals for that.

I have been in a similar situation and I opted for a change of my workstation. I was fortunate to get a new and peaceful workstation.

I hope and pray that you get a resolution for your situation! Till then, make some noise and disturb them... (on a lighter note)... :)

Regards

Managing Employee Distractions in the Workplace

1. No matter if they are whispering, gossiping, and laughing for almost 6 hours a day or even 23 hours for the day, as long as they are completing the work. In my case, as a Lead, I do not disturb any of my employees as long as my work is getting done.

2. So, we cannot project those points as a powerful weapon. Instead, you could give them a chocolate on a day when they were calm for at least an hour less than the previous day. This is how you can play a diplomatic role to express how you feel, slowly request them (AT ANY COST, DO NOT SHOWCASE YOUR POWER) to be quiet at their cubicle.

3. Even then, if it prolongs, then send out an official email to the Manager/Director - CC - Your Director's Reporting Manager and the two employees, and explain to them that the entire environment might be spoiled if we do not take any action. The email should resemble a WARNING and not a complaint.

Hope this helps :)
Thanks,
Jai

Thank you very much. Yes, you have given me good solutions, but I am afraid if they would work or not. Can you please tell me more about "This is how you can play a diplomatic role"? How can I play a diplomatic role other than giving them a chocolate for being calm? I am eager to learn more about this so that 'THE SNAKE GETS KILLED BUT THE STICK DOESN'T BREAK.'

Looking forward to receiving your favorable reply.

Regards

Yes, it will work. Give them a chocolate and say, "Guys! You people are just amazing! You are slowly turning out to be too good in all ways. I am so happy that you made my day as well because, during the one hour when you guys were calm, I could concentrate very well on my work and thus completed a task successfully and got appreciation for it. So here are the chocolates. Expecting the same in the future!"

This is a diplomatic way of telling them they are disturbing others, which prevents them from working properly, and a polite way of asking them to be quieter. Just try it out and let me know :) Hope it will help!

Thanks,

Jai

If you really feel that they have a lot of time on hand and are wasting it, why can't you overload them with work if possible? This could potentially reduce their chit-chat time and encourage them to focus on their tasks.

Alternatively, you could politely inform your director that they possess a lot of potential. Therefore, it would be beneficial to fully utilize their capabilities rather than allowing them to waste time on unofficial matters.

Regards,
Priya

I am not into confronting people, but I would request Ashish (As_ashu31) to look at the language he has used in his post and decide how mature he is! If Rutvi is ‘jealous and immature,’ then what adjectives would he use for himself? ‘Ignorant and non-empathetic’ comes to my mind.

All of us have different ways of working. While some people can concentrate in noise, others can’t. It depends on a lot of factors like our multiple intelligence and VAK (Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic) Profile. Let’s respect people’s views, and even if we have to contradict, let’s not hurt anyone with our words and tone!

I am sure they teach these things in good consulting firms. Ashish, my suggestion to you is to be humble!

Just get closer to those employees and do not speak to them aggressively. Treat them as friends and convey to them to be disciplined with friendly talks; they will definitely listen to you. Please, in this case, do not show your power; instead, show them love and care. Become a slow poison for them that will harm neither you nor them.

I think it will help you because I am following the same in my office. There are 60 employees, all of whom are kind of childish, but I will never speak to them with angry eyes or loud noise. I will go to them, tell them personally, and talk to them nicely. Finally, I will see the situation has become more calm and good. Try it once; you will see a difference.

Dear Rutvi, I have read all the comments with interest. Many contain useful ideas, and some have digressed, attacking others' comments, etc. I am not an HR professional but a retired academic. As I was not clear about what BDE stood for, I checked the web and found that it could mean Business Development Executives. Hence, please let us know how you, as an HR manager, are related to them in an official capacity. I do not understand how your cubicle is next to theirs. How large is your company?

You also say that they go out for snacks whenever they like. Is there any company policy about it? In small companies, there may not be any strict rules, and as long as the work gets done effectively and efficiently, managers ignore formalities to ensure that the business survives and progresses.

Many times, it is how we react to what others do that irritates us. I have found that watching Swami Anubhavananda's lectures on Happiness on YouTube helps me to calm down. Try doing that.

Let me start from the end of your message... 

"Can anyone suggest to me what I should do in this situation?" — Learn and Evolve! Easier said than done, but that's exactly what you need to do. So what do you learn and how do you evolve?

Identifying the Problem

First, you learn to really identify a problem or an issue. In this case, is there really a problem or an issue, and if there is, what is that problem/issue? Let's try and work this out...

You are the HR Manager.

One guy and one lady sit in the next cubicle from the BDE team.

- They are doing good work since their director is quite happy with them. He feels they are good employees and good professionals as well.
- Do they have a Manager (BDM) as well, or do they directly report to the Director?
- If they do have a BDM, why did you approach the Director directly and not the BDM? If you did approach the BDM, what was his/her reaction?
- They gossip, talk, laugh (loudly, especially the lady), sometimes for 6 hours in an 8-hour workday... 
- That irritates you... Why?
- You can't even focus on your work...
- What about others in the room? Are they also having the same problem as you, or are they unaffected by it, and it's only you?
- They ignore your presence and continue to chit-chat.
- What effect do you expect your presence to have on your employees from other departments?
- Do you expect them to stop their activities and be more alert because you are senior to them?
- Are you expecting to "demand" or "command" respect from your employees?
- They go out to have ice cream during office hours without informing you.
- Are they required to do so?
- If they inform their director and not you, would you still react the same way?
- When you informed your director, he didn't take it seriously, and no action was taken. You feel that even if you had the power as an HR manager, you couldn't have done anything in this matter.
- What did you inform your director about? What did you say was the problem or the issue?
- Why do you think he didn't take any action?
- Why does he have a good opinion of these two individuals?
- Do you think he (director) is a poor judge of character, and that is why he can't see how bad (poor) these two individuals are?
- What action were you expecting the director to take?
- What action would you have taken if given the full power to do so?

Analyzing the Situation

So now let's come to the crux... what or where is the problem/issue? More importantly, is there really a problem or an issue?

You yourself analyze and decide. Believe me, you will evolve into a better HR professional, irrespective of what your analysis states...  If you still need guidance, feel free to ask.

Cheers,

Navneet

As I understand your concern, you are more concerned about their behavior, as they are not very professional and not respecting your presence. First of all, you have to create a good rapport with them (keeping your position in mind) and try to be a part of their conversation. After having some casual talk, you can show them that now it's time to work, so that they can also feel that they are wasting their time. Behaving harshly may lead them to start ignoring you (both employees are doing well with their work, and the director feels that they are good employees and quite professional).

Also, start learning to ignore some issues. At this position, if you react to every single issue, employees may start taking it lightly or as a joke.

Regards,
Ram Chauhan
Manager - HR