Workplace Quirks and Annoyances
Meetings:
Every week there is a status meeting that many people are supposed to attend. Unfortunately, I am one of those people. The meeting usually consists of the boss having put together a summary of what's going on in the office, and then pretty much just reading the summary in front of everyone. We used to get this summary in e-mail, but I guess they don't do that anymore so that people will have to come to meetings. What really bores me is when these meetings get extended and sidetracked because multiple people each have issues to discuss. These issues usually don't affect many other people, which leads to lots of other people's time being wasted. Usually, it's something along the line of this person having an issue with those problems and that replacement part is not in, but it was ordered two years ago, etc. etc. etc.
Another thing that annoys me:
I'm working at my desk, and all of a sudden, without any warning, there is someone in my cubicle, at my elbow, talking about this or that. I know there's not much room for privacy in cubicled office environments, but I wish these people would at least look over the wall and make their presence known before getting within point blank spitting distance of me.
Boring Training Sessions:
If you are ever going to give training for a certain software suite or whatever, please do NOT make the entire 8 hour session consist only of static, mostly-text Powerpoint slides. This is the most boring thing ever and results in me falling asleep, then leaving the session early (which is, coincidentally, why I am here right now). It would be much more effective if you would put down your slides and actually demonstrate what's going on. Better yet, arrange for training to be in a room with lots of computers, so everyone can get some hands-on training. Maybe it's different with other people, but I learn best by doing, not just listening to droning and watching static, mostly-text Powerpoint slides.
Acronyms within acronyms:
The government and military love their acronyms. Sometimes their acronyms contain acronyms within themselves, leading to a very long phrase when each letter is actually spelled out.
Consider the following term: AVEL. It stands for AMRAAM Vertical Eject Launcher. But then there's the phrase AMRAAM, which stands for Advanced Medium Range Anti-Aircraft Missile. So put it all together and AVEL really means Advanced Medium Range Anti-Aircraft Missile Vertical Eject Launcher.
Watch your abbreviations
In my workplace, one person abbreviates "analysis" by leaving off the "-ysis" part. So you might walk by the cubicle and see that person X has to "Complete anal. tasks by 9/22."
(I hope this will not yield any strange visitors from Google searches)
Categories:
randomnimity
I am lucky enough to work in a (shared) office rather than a cubicle, but since I'm at the front of the office, the same thing drives me crazy: folks in a hurry will practically run into my office to ask a question of my office mate. I startle easily (just ask my husband how loud I scream when he pops his head in on me brushing my teeth), and from my desk I can't see the hall from which everyone approaches.
It's also disconcerting when they pop their heads in to check if my office mate is there, and then realize he's not and dash off the other way. I see a head in the door for a fraction of a second and then it's gone. Talk about spooky.
"(I hope this will not yield any strange visitors from Google searches)"
You KNOW it WILL!!! LOL!
I sit right behind a wooden door. My tactic to prevent sneak visits was to put a "Please Knock" sign on the door. Amazingly most everyone complies. The Big Boss got all huffy about the sign until I explained that if someone just swung the door open unannounced, and I were standing up or had my chair pushed back, I would require stitches and workman's comp.
~Anna
Funny and too true. It makes me so glad that I no longer work in an office.