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Cube Farm Chatter

Cube Farm Chatter

Cube Farm Chatter

(OP)
I work in a Cube Farm, I’m sure like many of you do.  Even though I may have an "office" the walls do not reach the drop-down ceiling, and I can hear every single conversation.  Normal chatter does not bother me, its just another form of white noise that I have come to live with.  I do however get very annoyed with my immediate neighbors.

To my left are two full-time consultants.  They are in the office 80% of the time.  When they are gone, things are peaceful, but when they are in, things get very noisy.  They are constantly on the phone, or babbling to each other or suppliers.  The hard part is they are both French-Canadians, and when they speak French, it cuts through the office ambiance like a klaxon.

My right-hand neighbor has a "the sky is falling" attitude, and everything that comes across his desk, he must comment on, and never in a positive manner.  He can never start any work without discussing the real and his perceived issues surrounding his work.  I think his opinions are way off base, and he is ill informed.  He has not demonstrated the ability to whisper.  I think his vitriol has a strong chance of infecting others, and affecting morale.

I only feel comfortable in turning up my computers speakers to a level that isn’t quite enough to drown them out completely.  I fear since others don’t have the luxury of speakers at their cubicles, they are also dealing with this audible assault.  I’ve tried talking to our Department Head, but the issue is written off as, "Well, that’s just the way they are" or "Buy a set of headphones."

How have or would you handle this situation?

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

I would have bought a set of headphones.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Learn enough French to interrupt the consultants frequently.  Don't worry about the accent.  Be sure you do a good job butcherng the language. Francophones hate that.

Remind your "doomsday" neighbor to use his "inside" voice.  Be as condescending as possible.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

I listen to my iPod all day at work. I have to. It drives me crazy trying to work hearing people eat, cell phones ringing different loud tones, pc speakers playing stupid sound fx every time a mouse button is pressed. and conversations on speaker phones.
We need a cone of silence for cubicles!

Chris
SolidWorks 07 3.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 03-26-07)

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

I have the same problem. Not only do I hear French, but also Spanish conversations, or should I say Spanglish. The Spanglish kills me 'cause just before I get to the point of tuning it out I hear an English word, and I try decrypting the conversation. I was thinking of bringing in headphones but, call me old-school I'm afraid it might not look professional. Who am I kidding my wrinkled jeans do a good job of that. I think I'll have to ctopher's advice and bring in an mp3 player.  

Failure is a prerequisite of successful design

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

I have similar problems and from the point of view of some around me am probably a contributor.  I sit in a large 'cube' with 7 others and it's 'team' environment so we'll often hear someone elses conversation and chime in (I think I do this too much though, a habit I'm trying to break).

I sometimes wear headphones but it sometimes means I miss out on things.

One thing I sometimes do is work when others aren't around.  This works for me as I work away from home and cram my 40+ into 4 days so it's not like by coming in at odd hours I'm missing time with my family.

I often find the first hour or two in the morning if I come in early or the hours in the evening if I stay late or come back in are the most productive.

Of course for most people this isn't a realistic option.  Certainly if I wasn't away from home anyway I wouldn't be coming back in in the evening.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Change the system sounds on your computer to rude noises.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Find out from the HR when you can turn on your radio at a reasonable volume.  I think many places, it is from nine to eleven.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

I've often found the direct approach to be the best. Just explain to them that they are being loud and you find it distracting. For whatever reason, some people automatically raise their voice when on the phone, and often don't realise they are doing so. Try and make a joke out of it, but also let them know that it seriously distracts you.

If they persist after your request then more drastic measures may be required ... like holding a very loud but fake phone conversation yourself ... or pulling the phone plug out of the socket.

As for the "doom and gloom" character ... just mimmick or mock his ways; again making light of it. Hopefully he will quit if he knows you are not buying it.

Be sincere to both parties. To paraphrase someone else here  ... if you can fake sincerity, you've got it made.

cheers
SW07-SP3

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

They are just being inconsiderate/rude.

Next time your phone rings (or arrange for a similarly bothered colleague to call you at an opportune time), answer along the following lines, in a loud voice of course (add a hint of exasperation for effect): "Hello...Hello, sorry I can't hear you over the noise in the office. Can you talk a little louder? Nope thats not enough - tell you what, if you can hear me, call me back in 10 minutes when I am SURE it will be quieter"

Alternatively, if your phone has a loudspeaker, switch it on (loud settings) so that your noisy colleagues can hear both sides of you conversation and see if this generates any response.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

In agreement with several of the previous posters, I would probably first shift my hours a bit for having time in the office when the neighbors are not there.  I have been in the cube farm for most of my career and found that I get my best work done when others are not around.  I save that time for my "critical" work.  Headphones are another useful option as well as scheduling yourself into a conference room (if available) for a one person meeting.

I am not sure you can directly affect the behavior of your neighbors.  You can try to ask them to keep it down to a dull roar but remember, they are not beholden to anything beyond what is in their contract.  They are also likely spending time making future contacts for work if/when the existing job is completed.

Regards,

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Request telecommute on a part time basis?

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

(OP)
I also share the same problem that FinTom raises.  I thought the Spanglish issue just came with the territory when working in Southern California.  I’m glad it’s not just me.  I have actually talked with both neighbors in the past.

The consultants have apologized on several occasions during the past year, but the problem continues.  I don’t feel like wasting my time on a "noise war" with them, as no one will benefit.  I also understand their need to conduct their business, and understand their preference to talk amongst themselves in their native tongue.  If it were up to me, I’d sequester them away in a hard-walled office.

The other neighbor, Mr. Negative, I have tried to talk with also. I have tried several approaches:
1) Co-conspirator- I’m with you, but perhaps you should keep your comments private
2) Concerned Friend- I know what you are saying, but if you don’t hush, someone may hear what you are saying and you may find yourself looking for new employment
3) Neutral Friend- If you are so unhappy, look for a new job and quit whining
4) Supervisor (I’m not his)- You raise some great points, why don’t you share them with your manager

This usually works for several days, until a new issue creeps across his desk, and he gets fired-up again.  Telecommuting, headphones and cones of silence are impractical.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

When working in cubes one can't literally close the door; headphones are the next best thing.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

I find that Dilbert is quite inspirational when it comes to cube chatter

Kevin Hammond

Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK
 

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Mango,

Get your rifle and let the Archangel guide your hand.  These people are draggin down your productivity, they deserve no less. tongue

I personally sit in my cube and scream "Serenity Now!!! or No Damien, I'm not!  They are nice people.", it seems to quiet the chatter quickly.

Headphones saved my (and their) life.

Frank "Grimey" Grimes
Rule 25. of Swanson's "Unwritten Rules of Management"
Have fun at what you do. It will reflect in your work. No one likes a grump except another grump.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Forgot to mention that it makes some great siren and horn noises.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Ah Dilbert, I sometimes wonder if reference to Dilbert shouldn't be the first post for pretty much any post in this forum.

MadMango, may sound silly but what type of cubes are they?  Are they 'soft' so that they absorb some of the noise or are yours like mine.  My 'walls' date back to the 70's and are bare metal.  They do nothing to damp the noise so it's even worse than a regular cube.  Plus the sound bounces off them so you can't always tell where it's coming from.  

WARNING SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC

One of the guys in my cube has diabetes and very occasionally has trouble.  Although he's in my cube he's hidden behind a partition and I can't actually see him.

One lunch time I heard the dead sound of a phone, you know "beep, beep, beep".  I looked around to see what happened but it sounded like it was coming from the opposite direction to where he sits so I didn’t' even look in his direction.

Turns out he's started passing out while on the phone to a vendor.  Fortunately the vendor realized something was wrong and called back to reception.  Reception asked around to find out who he was and where he sat and eventually found the director of engineering who knew.

The first I know of any problem was the Director coming by my cube asking what was going on with the guy! He ended up going to hospital.  If I'd noticed earlier and got him to drink some juice he probably would have been fine!

BACK ON TOPIC

So back on topic, maybe you could put some sound absorbing material/structure around.  I doubt it would help much but it's an idea.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Ken,

(Sorry all, I'm going to go slightly off topic as well)

An interesting opposite to yours. I worked in an open plan office and one of my fellow engineers suffered severe epiletic fits (went unconcious every time and usually resulted in physical harm to himself). Some people found this quite disturbing and one or two asked to move desks.

(back to OP)

I am working beside a guy who is to conversation what water is to fire. He keeps everyone quite by sheer force of his non-existent personality, producing and dead zone of approximately ten miles. Great for work... almost constant silence... but awful for interpersonal morale.

Kevin Hammond

Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK
 

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Noise cancelling headphones... my son just picked up a Sony player (thought it was MP3, but is a Sony proprietary device) and it came with noise cancelling earbuds... he picked up a set of proper headphones that almost completely electronically remove any background noise...

Dik

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

When the guy was doing something that particularly annoys you I'd simply stand up and look at him until he stops and/or ask you why you're there. Then you tell him calmly and quietly what the problem is. He'll get the message; it's kind of like training a dog to sit down.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

If your'e not up for the loud speakerphone ploy while they are talking then I don't believe you have anything that will make them stop, other than looking at them which is just as unproductive. But that is typ manager "get headphones", ha.

I had a cube neighbor who constantly brought people to the desk to talk loud.  One day he had someone argue with him and I told him stearnly to keep conversations light at the desk and if he didn't do that, to take it to a conference room.  He wasn't happy, but it worked great.

You could ask them each time "are you on a speakerphone"?  To see if they get the message???????

It sounds like a one man battle with no reserves in sight.

==========================================
Business Card     http://mech.e.tripod.com
__________________________________________
Cycle Heaven.......www.tailofthedragon.com

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

For years I have been using 'musician ear plugs' that allow conversation, but they attenuate loud noises like rock concerts and contemporary church services.* They effectively block 40 DBA. The brand name is Hearos, ~$15. They are washable and durable.

* - Some Pentacostal churches standardize at 95 DBA peak as measured at the rear sound booth. Pity the bastards sitting closer than the rear row.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Yeah, there you are in your cube with your head-phones on and some boss decides you are not working but amusing yourself at his expense.
IT (the guys who took games out of the windows installation and who issued the company screen saver that must be used) get sent along to remove your Windows Media Player, Real players, and anything else than might amuse you and IPods/MP3 players get banned.

Before that happens, take the time to record an hour or two of the noise and save the file, you might need to send the file to HR when the problem reaches the silly phase.

HR doesn't have a training course for "how to work in an open plan environment" but they may have some other solutions.
The one that may work best is to get moved to somewhere peaceful.

Caution:
Moving isn't an easy option, even if their is, for some reason, an empty desk somewhere.
"Cube farms" aren't "organic" nor did they naturally evolve from bare carpeted space into the anarchic chaos you see today.
Some junior manager saw "planning the office layout" as a major Brown-nose event and has spent many happy hours/days with post-it tables and chairs and coloured markers drawing the office and deciding where everyone should sit.

If you want to know who this is, its the guy who gets windows on two sides of his space which is surrounded by unused aisles.

This plan "has his name on it".
Changes imply what we all know already: he made a mess of it.
How else to account for the fact that the one and only printer is way down the opposite end of the office from the stationary supplies (or anyone who wants to use it) or that the coffee machine is a ten minute hike away in manufacturing. The clue to this style of planning is that many desks are only supplied with power, LAN and phones by dint of many extensions cables which make walking a hazard even with those "you can't sue the company" rubber covers on.

In short, while moving desks is possibly the only available solution, you should be aware that this may only be practicable if you also change companies.


JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

I listen to a classical music radio station through headphones on my phone. I use the studies reported in the media that claim classical music aids concentration to justify why I'm not amusing myself at the company's expense. I only use one earphone (only partly because the other doesn't work) so that I can hear when people who are trying to communicate with me but I focus my listening towards the music to tune out the guy at the other end of the office who is yelling at our colleagues in Poland. (Sometimes I think his phone is for decoration - they can probably hear him from there anyway!) And obviously good manners dictate that if someone is trying to talk to me, I take out my earphone and switch the radio off to give them my full attention.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Buy a set of Bose noise cancelling headphones ($300)
and  a CD player. I listen to classical music,  mild south american guitar,  smooth rock.  The headphones cut the noise level down enough that the music can overcome it completely.This setup saved my career.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

My noise cancelling headphones are designed to subdue the frequency of jet or bus engines... not the chatter of coworkers.  Even though coworkers might sound like a constant low frequency buzzing, I don't think they count.

The reviews of the pricey models lead me to believe that maybe they negate a wider field of sounds?

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

FYI... noice-cancelling headphones only cancel out ambient noise... or constant noise. It would not cancel out loud conversations... but would likely make them easier to hear. All of a sudden - you wouldn't be able to hear the constant (almost imperceptable) drone of your HVAC system... ot the cumulative hums of all the PC fans in the area. Then you could hear everyone tapping on their keyboards, clicking their mice, all the different misic on all the radios in your area... and every word of your neighbors conversations.

I don't think you want that.

Windows XP / Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 5000
SolidWorks 2007 SP2.2 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com
"Right-click... It's friggin' magic!" ... Jack L. Tate


FAQ376

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

we have a white noise generator in our office which does a remarkable job of cancelling out noise in general and making most conversations harder to focus on.  However, it doesn't eliminate the sound of the conference call in the next cube, or the drafters across the aisle that are always yucking it up and talking.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

I work in a cube with a U-shaped desk where the monitors are in the corner away from the "door" such that I have my back to anyone passing by.  I use earbuds to create a nice, peaceful world for myself and have trained all of my coworkers to tap the end of my desk nearest the "door" to get my attention.  I then politely remove the earbuds so that I can focus on the interruption.  Seems to work well.

White noise makes me sleepy - so much so that I use a fan set on low to help me fall asleep when I've got insomnia.

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

>> White noise makes me sleepy - so much so that I use a fan set on low to help me fall asleep when I've got insomnia.

Strangley enough I have a CD of sea noise that has a similar effect.

Ben

RE: Cube Farm Chatter

Just have three kids and make sure one of them has ADHD - you will learn how to tune out in a hurry! blllttt

ISZ

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