16 March 2008

Listening to Your Neighbours

It is amazing what you pick up from your neighbours. I work in a cubicle and hear things going on around me all the time. Most things I tune out, but when it’s something I need to know I seem to tune right in and it is really helpful.

If my co-worker in the next cubicle is away and someone comes looking for her I usually know where she has gone as we regularly call out to each other where we are going as we rush off to do a photocopying job or send a fax.

It is especially helpful to know what your neighbour was doing before they leave on vacation or take a sick day. You hear conversations throughout the day and they help you to know where they are at on a project so you can step in and help out. You won’t be completely up to speed, but normally you have some idea of what the person was doing.

There is a negative aspect to hearing what your neighbours are up to. You can’t help overhearing personal conversations as well and that can be distracting. Sometimes co-workers have conversations right outside your cubicle which can also be very distracting when you are on a phone call with a client or are trying to transcribe a tape or even concentrate on a task that needs all your attention.

There are advantages and disadvantages to hearing your neighbours in a work environment. I think the most important thing is to be respectful of each other and mindful that your neighbours are listening.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It's actually amazing of how many conversations I hear on a regular basis. But of course, office gossip is never any good.

Here's an article I wrote on this particular matter:

http://www.theprofessionalassistant.net/2007/08/keep-your-enemies-close-your-colleagues.html

It's also amazing of how many people I have to try to keep track of, since I work in a department of about 30, which includes 6 managers. But it really does help others if you know if employees are here or away.

Thanks,

Richard Rinyai
www.theprofessionalassistant.net