So apparently this is not unusual at the workplace

[4kad]

I have experienced walking down the hall toward a coworker in another department and they will walk right past me and not speak. So I asked a couple if relatives if they experienced the same thing and they said all the time. Lol

 

I even asked a friend and it happens at her job. So I am surprised a coworker who you don't deal with directly would just walk past you in the hall way like you are a stranger in the street.

 

Anyone else experience this?

[GunslingerRoland]

I work in a building with 100's of coworkers. I walk buy many of them multiple times a day. I don't greet every single one of them every time I pass them. Totally normal.

 

If it's someone I am specifically friends with I usually will, but again it depends on if it's first time I've walked by them that day or the 35th.

[RileyS]

Totally normal in bigger organisations. In fact the only places I've worked where that's not been the case was in workplaces with fewer than 10-20 employees.

[preraph]

Even in a small office, you don't greet each other every time you pass. Too cumbersome. It's not a meet n greet. That said, when you do speak, it's your job to be polite. But in the workplace, you don't have to just randomly talk to each other.

[4kad]

Even in a small office, you don't greet each other every time you pass. Too cumbersome. It's not a meet n greet. That said, when you do speak, it's your job to be polite. But in the workplace, you don't have to just randomly talk to each other.

 

No not all day. I'm talking about in the morning or if you just saw the person for the first time.

[basil67]

Not at all unusual.

[preraph]

No not all day. I'm talking about in the morning or if you just saw the person for the first time.

 

I would say every workplace has its own customs. it's best to follow them in case you later find out the boss doesn't like a lot of talking or something like that.

[whichwayisup]

No not all day. I'm talking about in the morning or if you just saw the person for the first time.

 

Maybe that person isn't social in the mornings. Ir maybe they weren't paying attention, didn't see you. Don't take it personally.

[JustGettingBy]

Where I work, anything beyond "hi(person's name)" is rare.

[SpiralOut]

Yes, it's normal. Keep in mind that you didn't speak to this person either. They may be wondering why you didn't say hello first. I've had a few coworkers mention that I never greeted them - but they never greeted me either!

[stillafool]

It's very common. People are at work and have their jobs and schedules on their mind. They aren't even thinking about you.

[4kad]

It's very common. People are at work and have their jobs and schedules on their mind. They aren't even thinking about you.

 

Well starting Monday I'm walking past people in the morning and not even making eye contact.

 

People who I don't work around

[mightycpa]

Well starting Monday I'm walking past people in the morning and not even making eye contact.

 

People who I don't work around

You'd do yourself a big favor if you dropped the attitude and greeted everbody, whether you know them or not. People like that and will remember that, and one day, the memory of your cheerful disposition may pay big dividends.

 

At worst, you won't be so bitter. Go ahead, who cares if you say Hi first all the time?

[4kad]

You'd do yourself a big favor if you dropped the attitude and greeted everbody, whether you know them or not. People like that and will remember that, and one day, the memory of your cheerful disposition may pay big dividends.

 

At worst, you won't be so bitter. Go ahead, who cares if you say Hi first all the time?

 

I tried that but certain didn't respond which was very rude.

[whichwayisup]

Well starting Monday I'm walking past people in the morning and not even making eye contact.

 

People who I don't work around

 

No don't do that, seems spiteful and petty to just do that because one person didn't acknowledge you when you two passed one another. If you are one to say hi and smile, continue doing that! Don't change who you are! Never know, you could make someone's day a lot brighter especially they're having a crappy day.

[Lifeisgood1]

4Kad, I know what you mean and I have been guilty of the same. I have been so deep in my thoughts that I literally won't notice people walking by, especially during stressful times at work. I guess it depends on the mood and a particular situation. Most people at my workplace would at least smile while walking by.

[4kad]

4Kad, I know what you mean and I have been guilty of the same. I have been so deep in my thoughts that I literally won't notice people walking by, especially during stressful times at work. I guess it depends on the mood and a particular situation. Most people at my workplace would at least smile while walking by.

 

I have had people chat with me when I was around other people and then walk past me without saying a word the next day lol

[Lifeisgood1]

I am sorry 4Kad. Just ignore it I would say hi sometimes and hear no response back. I just assume that didn't hear me lol

[Raena]

I used to work in a large building with over 200 employees. A vast majority of them I didn't even know at all. I remember this one woman was super pissed at me because she said hello to me one morning while I was on my way to my space and all I did was smile in return. I really didn't get why she was so mad at me. I was painfully shy at the time, it was early morning and I am not a morning person and I had absolutely no clue who she was. She was a perfect stranger to me. She thought I was very rude and made a point of complaining about it to anyone who would listen.

 

To me, that woman was just a stranger on the street to me. How dare she demand that I speak to her.

 

My point is... if you don't work directly together and they have no idea who you are then not speaking is really not all that unusual.

 

I find that it also depends on where you live and what the culture is of that place. Where I grew up, strangers are not greeted like that. Where I was working at the time of the above incident it is more the norm. People tend to be more friendly to strangers there than where I grew up. For me, it was weird that she was greeting me like that. For her it was the norm and I was being rude for just smiling and not talking back to her.

[4kad]

I used to work in a large building with over 200 employees. A vast majority of them I didn't even know at all. I remember this one woman was super pissed at me because she said hello to me one morning while I was on my way to my space and all I did was smile in return. I really didn't get why she was so mad at me. I was painfully shy at the time, it was early morning and I am not a morning person and I had absolutely no clue who she was. She was a perfect stranger to me. She thought I was very rude and made a point of complaining about it to anyone who would listen.

 

To me, that woman was just a stranger on the street to me. How dare she demand that I speak to her.

 

My point is... if you don't work directly together and they have no idea who you are then not speaking is really not all that unusual.

 

I find that it also depends on where you live and what the culture is of that place. Where I grew up, strangers are not greeted like that. Where I was working at the time of the above incident it is more the norm. People tend to be more friendly to strangers there than where I grew up. For me, it was weird that she was greeting me like that. For her it was the norm and I was being rude for just smiling and not talking back to her.

 

 

 

I would accept it more in a company that size versus my staff of 60 people

[Raena]

Where I work now probably has a little less than 60 people working there... most of us know each other in at least some capacity. Not everyone greets others in passing here either. Again though, it's not the expected norm here. People often just smile at each other rather than speak. Some don't even look up when passing. Most do smile, laugh, make a comment, say hello or good morning or ask to talk about something specific. There are specific people that never speak at all to me when we pass each other. I don't take offense to it. To be honest, I don't think I even thought about it until reading this post.