Friday Funny: Is Your Co-workers’ Behavior NSFW?

Showing up late, cooking stinky food, making too much noise, and talking about touchy subjects are all behaviors that are considered NSFW (Not Suitable For Work), according to a new Workplace Do’s and Don’ts Study. Conducted by Kelton Global on behalf of National Business Furniture (NBF), the study revealed American workers’ top workplace behavior pet peeves.

The study found that the majority of American workers (77 percent) think their co-workers could behave better in the workplace, and that their colleagues’ behavior is negatively impacting productivity and morale. It also examines how workplace behavior affects workers’ attitudes, their connectivity with colleagues, and their work environment. More than half (58 percent) of those surveyed said that improving employee conduct would improve their attitude and make them want to spend more time in the workplace.

The study revealed that the following are top workplace behavior pet peeves:

1. Punctuality: Three out of four respondents say that consistently being late to work or meetings tops the list of workplace annoyances.
2. Food Faux Pas: Leaving dirty dishes in a common area is offensive to 77 percent surveyed. More than half (52 percent) say that their co-workers shouldn’t cook potent foods (like fish or spicy meals) in the microwave. Thirty percent say their officemates shouldn’t eat snacks or meals at a shared workstation.
3. Noisy Surroundings: Playing music that’s too loud is unacceptable to 77 percent surveyed; 57 percent believe that having smartphone ringers on for calls, notifications, or alerts is annoying; and 50 percent say that taking private calls in a shared workstation is objectionable.
4. Taboo Topics: Conversation topics like religion, politics, or sexuality should be off-limits at work, say 59 percent of respondents. The survey showed 70 percent of American workers believe their co-workers should avoid displaying “not suitable for work” photos.

Too Close For Comfort?

These annoying habits are causing anxiety for workers, and preventing them from interacting with co-workers: 45 percent said they don’t feel comfortable and accepted in their workplace, and 25 percent avoid communal work spaces so their colleagues’ behaviors won’t affect them. One out of five (16 percent) say that they work remotely as much as possible to avoid their co-workers’ misconduct.

Co-worker Coping Strategies

Workers are managing to find ways to cope with these challenging behaviors, according to the study:

• Younger workers (31 percent) are more likely than boomers (18 percent) to deal with colleagues’ behavior by reminding them of the rules.
• Men are more likely than women to directly ask colleagues to change poor workplace behaviors (27 percent versus 17 percent).
• Millennials are three times as likely (42 percent) as boomers (13 percent) to wear headphones or earbuds at work to reduce noise levels.
• Twenty-eight percent surveyed seek out private areas to avoid dealing with bad behaviors.