why can't we all just get along...?

Something I really enjoy about watching employee behaviour is how different things irritate different people. And in the workplace, where we spend big chunks of our time in relatively close proximity to others, there are bound to be a variety of potential triggers.

I was trying to think of a couple of things that get on my nerves from time to time:

• Rudeness - This really gets me worked up sometimes. I find it hard to keep quiet when I see an employee throwing his/her weight around and disregarding others to feel better about themselves. I know that it's impossible for everyone to like each other, but I believe that liking someone should not determine whether or not we respect them as a person.
• Office gossip - Being in HR, I’ve noticed some employees who will always try to ask me questions they know they shouldn’t. “But can’t YOU tell us what’s going on with so-and-so? We won’t tell anyone, we just really want to know”. These are also the same employees who take any hint of a rumour and distribute it through the office at record speed. I’m not a fan.
• Grown-ups behaving like spoiled children - I have to admit, we all may occasionally have one of these moments ☺, but there are days when an employee reminds me again that being older doesn’t necessarily mean you are mature. I’m sure we’ve all encountered one of those... 

These are really personal irritations, but let’s not forget those pet peeves that send blood pressures through the roof sometimes! An employee who always borrows your pen and never returns it, someone who dresses inappropriately, bad lunch manners, or a colleague stepping into your personal space. What are the things that get on your nerves in the office?

I also found a whole laundry list of colleague irritations – ENJOY!!