The top 50 things people hate about the office

By Emma Elsworthy, 72Point

Researchers have identified the top 50 modern office gripes - such as hot-desking, having to wear smart clothes...and rubbing shoulders with people who are ill.

A survey of 2,000 office workers in the UK revealed the most common moans have evolved during the pandemic with a fifth no longer liking it when colleagues get close.

Another quarter - just as pre-lockdown - judge others for coughing and sneezing without putting a hand in front of their mouth.

People seemingly not washing hands after using the toilet, failing to sanitize regularly, or opening windows without checking with colleagues nearby also annoy many.

While reams of paper being used on the printer and others spreading themselves also made the top 50 list.

Staff also get frustrated with colleagues who leave lunch dishes lying around and think nothing of discarding paper towels on the floor.

As many as 42 percent of employees admit they are far more irritated with their surroundings now they have returned to the office.

And four in 10 are less tolerant of colleagues, the boss, and customers than they were pre-pandemic.

A spokesman for hygiene and health company Essity, which carried out the study said: “Office gripes have always existed but the global pandemic and the heightened focus on our own hygiene and health has changed what behaviors we find frustrating now that we’re starting to head back to the office more regularly.

“Poor hand hygiene, coming in with a cough or a cold, and a failure to show any care or courtesy towards being environmentally friendly, have all shot to the top of our lists of bugbears.

“For employers, now is the time to put measures in place to minimize any chance of these office gripes upsetting employees that are being welcomed back after so long at home.”

It emerged the standard of hygiene in the office since going back has been a concern for almost half of those polled.

As a result, 28 percent now take their own cutlery to work, while 38 percent clean their own workspace daily and four in 10 carry their own hand sanitizer or soap.

A further 24 percent have tried to avoid using public transport since returning to the office, preferring to walk or use a private vehicle, and 44 percent think nothing of wearing a mask while working, if requested.

And more than a third now refuse to take part in making hot drinks for others and take their own mug to work for when they want a brew.

Employers have some way to go to keep staff happy, as 36 percent say they would like a daily cleaning regime to include sanitization of desks and communal areas and 31 percent want things like anti-bacterial wipes available around the building.

A fifth of workers have already talked to management about getting recyclable items like paper towels and sanitary products in for staff to use.

While 18 percent have asked the boss to supply appropriate recycling bins and 24 percent want them to address the overall temperature of the building.

The space between desks, getting rid of single-use items like plastic cups and turning off electrical items are all things workers have tried to implement with their superiors.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, more than two-thirds of office workers say their whole working day can be ruined by a few bugbears, and nearly half admit they did feel really anxious about returning to their workplace.

The average worker, polled via OnePoll, admits they complain up to quarter of an hour every day, about things like people speaking loudly, computers being slow, IT issues and the phone ringing constantly.

The spokesman for Essity added: “There are lots of small measures employers can take to make the workplace a better space for workers.

“Whether it is improving recycling practices, making the office feel more sanitary, or giving workers the surroundings they need to feel comfortable, small steps go a long way.”

TOP 50 MODERN-DAY OFFICE GRIPES

1. People speaking loudly
2. People coughing and sneezing without putting their hands in front of their mouth
3. People coming into work when ill
4. Computers being slow
5. IT issues
6. Smelly toilets
7. People who leave dirty dishes in the work sink
8. People not washing their hands after using the loo
9. Filthy toilet seats/bowls
10. Computers crashing
11. People not cleaning the microwave when their food spills
12. People who get too close when talking to you
13. People that wear their face mask under their nose, when asked to wear
14. Printers breaking down
15. Someone sucking up to the boss
16. Someone cooking smelly food at lunch
17. Someone calling in sick when you know they aren't ill
18. Food left in the fridge which is past its use-by date
19. The phone ringing constantly
20. Someone who opens the window in the winter when it’s cold and the heating is on
21. Freezing cold air conditioning
22. Covid/vaccine conspiracy theorists
23. People who think nothing of discarding paper towels all over the toilet floor
24. Having to sit in small meeting rooms with lots of people
25. Lights left on in rooms unnecessarily
26. People leaving packets/rubbish on desks/in meeting rooms
27. Lunch dishes left lying around on desks
28. Hotdesking
29. People who refuse to recycle
30. People who open the windows without checking with people nearby
31. Grubby fingers on shared keyboards/mouse if hot desking
32. Not being able to wear comfy clothes
33. People not putting a new toilet roll on the holder
34. People who don’t sanitize regularly
35. Empty milk cartons left in the fridge
36. People leaving half-eaten food in the fridge/kitchen
37. People printing off huge documents and wasting paper
38. Not being able to listen to music
39. People ‘spreading out’ their desks onto yours
40. The wrong things left in recycling bins
41. Fighting over parking spaces
42. No one ever saying thank you
43. People who start a phone conversation without any pleasantries first
44. People who sing or whistle without realizing it
45. No recycling bins
46. People putting food in bins right next to your desk
47. Someone who turns the air con on and then opens a window
48. No air conditioning
49. Someone stealing your favorite cup
50. People who hang up the phone without saying goodbye