STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

Things I'd like to do.....

bumblebee · Coach

oh boy--i have one of these, too. is there a supervisor of HR person you can talk to confidentially?

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

Probably not, I am the newbie and the company is like 12 people who have all worked here for years. The funny thing is that the woman I replaced was supposedly so mean and bitchy and they all complain about HER, I can't even imagine what she was like!! My boss is an ass anyway and I just want to get out of here.

nunzi182 · Kate Spade

Is there anyway you can go back to your old job until you find something closer to home? I remember you said that you live really far from your previous job, but you liked it otherwise right? I know what it's like to be stuck in a job you hate and I usually quit and go back to my old job. I know this is not a likely situation for everyone, but if you left on good terms, maybe they wouldn't mind taking you back?

tara t · Marc Jacobs

is she just terribly annoying ? or is she a jerk? just curious, because i just left my job which had 2 of the most irritating people on the planet in my face all the time.

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

tara t wrote:

is she just terribly annoying ? or is she a jerk? just curious, because i just left my job which had 2 of the most irritating people on the planet in my face all the time.

Well, she's a little bit of both. She is nice to me, which I should thank my lucky stars for that, but she complains more then anyone I know. Every single one of our customers is a nutcase, a space cadet, a moron, the list goes on. I have never heard her say anything nice about anyone. And each time someone calls or comes in she HAS to tell me each time with each person how she doesn't have time to deal with them and how they are such nutcases and their jobs are so complicated and why do they have to make her job so complicated?

We work at a small print shop where yes, the turnaround time people expect is kind of insane, but they are our customers!!! We kind of have to do what they want or they will probably find somewhere else to do business. She is always moaning and groaning at her desk and we are VERY close together so I have no choice but to listen to her. Each time I tell her someone is on the phone for her she goes "ohhhhhh gooooooddddd" By the end of the day I want to poke my eyes out with my pen.

It's just hard to stay positive when I am mostly around her all day.

jj · Kate Spade

Ok, this may be totally kooky, but would it be inappropriate to listen to music or something on your ipod or something like that while you work?

I have a friend who was in a similar situation - she shared an office with this nightmare woman who wouldn't shut up - so she popped her headphones on and said it helped her concentrate

Elle · Hermes

Ah, yes. The Martyr. Gotta love 'em!

Is there anyway you could get some headphones to wear for part of the day to help tune her out a bit? Obviously not for when you are working with customers directly, but for the in-between times?

Christine · Coach

Great minds think alike, jj and LMonet.....

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

I think I am going to try that. I have to listen for the phones, but even to have some music in one ear might really help me phase her out. Thanks for the idea gals!

Oh yea and...if it weren't for ST breaks during the day, I would have eaten my white out by now for sure!!!

I love you guys! Thanks for listening!!

-- Edited by Luv2Shop at 16:53, 2005-10-18

NCshopper · Hermes

I think all hope is not lost. You can get this woman to shut up. Adjust your body language and just stop responding to her.

Is there any way you can angle your computer at your desk so that your back is towards her? I used to work with a woman at my old job that would not shut up all day. She wasn't complaining, but she'd just talk and talk and talk about her various surgeries and health problems and her childhood dog and her cats and blah blah blah. So, I angled my computer so my back was towards her most of the time. Having your back toward your coworker will make her feel like she has less of an audience and she might cut down on the talking.

Also, act like she's interrupting you. Every single time she says something. Lean towards your computer like you're thinking really hard, hold up your hand to her and say "Hang on a sec." Make her realize she's interrupting you. You don't have to be mean to do this, but if she realizes she's interrupting your work, then maybe she'll stop. If you're on the phone with a customer and she's bitching, stick your finger in your ear like you're having a hard time hearing over her noise.

I think she's probably just a lonely lady without many friends to talk to (I wonder why...) and she's just talking because you're close by and you're a relatively captive audience. Show her you're busy and that she's taking up your time and she may eventually stop.

Luv2Shop · Kate Spade

Wow!! That was really good advice to get her to stop without being mean! I already have my back to her, but all the gesturing you suggested might really help!!!

Thanks!

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

NCShopper's advice was BRILLIANT, as usual!

I just have to add that one of my best friends is enduring an identical situation at her office... not only has she been saddled with a grossly incompetent intern, but she has to listen to the intern talk on the phone with her parents all day long, having nauseatingly gooey conversations about her dog. Yesterday apparently she was literally discussing the dog's persistent diarrhea. "Oooh, poor baaaaaaaaybiiiiiiiie, is he having poopie issues?" My poor friend was about to slit her wrists.

janey831 · Kate Spade

Luv2Shop wrote:

rather then listen to my co-worker BITCH ABOUT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE today....
1. Drink the white out on my desk, my insurance just kicked in so maybe I could take a nice trip to the hospital and get some sick time off.
2. Go buy some lumber and build myself a cube so at least we are slightly separated. Hey, I have a menards card, I will use it.
3. Get on the phone and pretend I am on a really important long call with a customer so that she won't talk while I'm on the phone. From 1:30 to 4:30 wouldn't seem wierd would it?
4. Go get a bottle of something and start drinking it at my desk. Wonder what would happen?
I am just seriously at a loss. I know most of you read my post about this co-worker. I am trying to deal but she is making my blood boil!!!!!!! I have never known anyone like this! I am not an angry, confrontational person but I seriously want to turn to her and scream "please just shut up for like 10 minutes!!"
I want to cry.

hahahaaha. number one was so funny.....