Was this co worker being immature about her seating area?

[Bobbi7]

There's this fairly young coworker-mid 20's coworker that works in my department. Awhile back, we had voluntary overtime to come in on a Saturday. We all sit in a cubicle. Except, there's no one that sits by her. She apparently likes to sit alone with no one sitting beside her. Anyway, another girl decided to sit by her because her computer wasn't working-it was an empty desk. Then I heard her start bitching and complaining then I heard her saying all these cuss words come out of her mouth. She was rather loud. Then, she decided to move to another desk to work and muttered, "I don't like anyone sitting beside me, I don't care who you are." Then, she decided to leave early because of it. I was like what the heck?? And to top that off, she takes like 20 minute breaks every hour-takes her time in the break room, restroom. Geez. She apparently hates her job, so why is she even there? No one is holding her against her will.

[I don't know]

Move away from her, keep your mouth shut, head down and get your work done. She will hang herself soon enough with that attitude.

[Bobbi7]

It looks like the managers favor her, because she always requests to move to a new desk-and says whatever excuse she uses. And she always happens to pick a desk where there is no one sitting on both sides of her! Geez. She's like best friends with some of the leads and well liked by some managers and co workers. I don't see how she can get away with it. Especially shouting cuss words about it, where other people heard her and didn't report it because she's friends with them. If I shouted cuss words like that someone would report me and I would get fired.

[preraph]

She can get away with it because her priority is getting her work done and not letting others distract her.

[Bobbi7]

Well, then from now on, I'm going to take 20 minute breaks every hour, sit in the break room- take a 45 minute lunch, we have a 30 minute lunch, then I'm going to clock in at 30, then go out to the break again for an extra 15 minutes. Then, when I'm having computer issues, I'm going to mutter cuss words very loudly.

[Bobbi7]

She can get away with it because her priority is getting her work done and not letting others distract her.

 

And who is saying that I don't get MY work done? I get my work done daily. This is what I've observed. Are you saying it's none of my business at all??? Geez, if I saw someone stealing social security numbers and cash from customers, surely I would have to report or do I just ignore it and focus on my work? Well, then I can get away with it by stealing and not respecting people or the company at all if I don't let other people distract me.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Bobbi7

[nescafe1982]

Really, you have two courses of action here:

 

1) you can ignore this coworker, who sounds hostile and (as was said) will probably screw themselves over eventually, or

 

2) you can tell the boss about these little things this coworker is doing (if they don't already know about them).

 

I'd advocate for #1, personally, because the attitude problem doesn't sound severe enough to risk losing face with the boss over. I would call this a "pick your battles" moment.

 

I certainly would not start half-assing your own work there in an attempt to bring attention to the coworker's bad attitude. That's a bit like drinking poison and waiting for your enemy to die, is it not?

[Bobbi7]

How exactly is she going to screw herself over? Will she have a meltdown or something?

[SoleMate]

To b successful at work, one should focus on the task at hand, not criticism of coworkers. As tempting as it may be to judge and comment on the personality and behavior of others, that's not what they pay you for. You may enjoy your workday more if you focus your mind elsewhere than this coworker.

[Bobbi7]

To b successful at work, one should focus on the task at hand, not criticism of coworkers. As tempting as it may be to judge and comment on the personality and behavior of others, that's not what they pay you for. You may enjoy your workday more if you focus your mind elsewhere than this coworker.

 

Yeah, but at my workplace everyone complains about everything. At a meeting, one person said that someone made a complaint about her because she answered her cellphone in the hallway, plus I've heard a lot of people complain about how much talking goes on, etc , etc.

[Bobbi7]

That just sounds really hypocrital. What, I can't say anything to this person or even to the manager of her bad behavior, but people are free to comment on MY behavior/personality? I'm pretty quiet and do my work, yet people call me out on that all the damn time. Don't you think as long as I get my work done and not distracting others-duh, I'm sitting at my desk quietly that people shouldn't comment on what I'm doing? For example this co worker kept pestering me all because I was quiet and he complained that I never told to anyone. I was like wtf? First of all how the hell am I even bothering me or distracting him from his work??? Really, like why is he even watching me or does he get off by watching me? Second, sounds like he as a problem with my personality. So, why does he care if I talk to other people? Shouldn't he be doing his work? So, it's ok for other people to bitch and complain about others, but it's not when you're that person? Being quiet vs. someone using profanity at work. Seems like I know who the popular people are. The ones using profanity.

[GunslingerRoland]

When my computer doesn't work, I swear at it... is that abnormal?

 

But yeah, it's pretty strange for someone to expect that no one is going to sit close to them at work. If you work in cubicles you are going to get pretty close to your neighbors, that is how modern offices work.

[Bobbi7]

When my computer doesn't work, I swear at it... is that abnormal?

 

But yeah, it's pretty strange for someone to expect that no one is going to sit close to them at work. If you work in cubicles you are going to get pretty close to your neighbors, that is how modern offices work.

 

I didn't say it was abnormal for someone to cuss at a computer when it's not working, I do that too at HOME, not at work. It's unprofessional when someone is using profanity at an office just because someone decides to sit by her at the empty desk!