UK office workers reveal their 50 biggest gripes: From messy desks, slow computers and smelly food
Unsurprisingly, IT issues take up a major part of the list
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
If end of day phone calls or a colleague munching loudly on their lunch drives you mad then you’re not alone because they both rated highly in a poll of office worker gripes.
Revealing that the average office worker spends the equivalent of two weeks a year moaning and 52 per cent saying their entire working day can be ruined by a few bugbears, Brits have revealed a comprehensive list of grievances that leave them reeling.
Taking the top spot, miffed Brits said that getting a phone call when you’re just about to leave the office for the day was their biggest pet peeve, followed by a string of IT issues such as slow computers and printers jamming, as well as freezing cold air conditioning and messy desks.
Other problems that drive staff mad include being copied into e-mails that don’t concern you, colleagues who suck up to the boss, people who ignore a ringing phone and uncomfortable chairs.
In addition, someone stealing your favourite mug, junk mail, unrealistic deadlines and meetings about meetings also made the list.
“It’s clear that there’s no shortage of annoyances in the workplace that raise people’s blood pressure on a daily basis,” Geoffrey Dennis, Chief Executive of international animal charity SPANA told the Mirror.
''From pointless meetings to colleagues who use your favourite mug, these frustrations seem to be part and parcel of office life in Britain.”
Other common gripes included having an insensitive boss, those who choose to micro-manage everything, embarrassing team building exercises and having to engage in small talk.
But some irritable Brits were more frustrated by being asked to share a desk, office gossip, not having enough annual leave and office jargon.
Interestingly, the study also revealed that two thirds of office workers are most likely to moan to other colleagues.
And, while one in 20 said they start moaning the minute they step into the office, another 15 per cent admitted that they ‘whinge all day long.’
Despite their grievances though, researchers found that most are unlikely to take action regarding their work worries with two thirds saying they wouldn’t confront a colleague who was annoying them.
The top 50 office gripes
1. Getting a phone call when you're literally about to leave the office
2. Computers being slow
3. IT issues
4. The temperature being too low/high
5. No air conditioning
6. Computers crashing
7. Printers jamming or breaking down
8. Colleagues who are difficult to work with
9. When someone uses your desk when you're away and leaves it messy
10. Freezing cold air conditioning
11. Being in the office when the weather is lovely
12. Having meetings about meetings
13. People not replying to your emails
14. When someone calls in sick when you know they aren't ill
15. Being copied into emails that are of no concern
16. Colleagues who suck up to the boss
17. Colleagues who talk too much
18. People who loudly complain about how busy they are
19. People not saying thank you when you've helped them out
20. The commute
21. Someone constantly arriving late to work
22. The amount of junk mail received
23. People who ignore a ringing phone
24. Smelly food being eaten in the office
25. The phone ringing constantly
26. Someone taking credit for work you've done
27. Having to sit in long and tedious meetings
28. People speaking loudly
29. Returning from holiday to hundreds of emails
30. Office jargon (such as “touch base”)
31. People who leave dirty dishes in the work sink
32. Unnecessary all-staff emails
33. Unrealistic deadlines
34. People not cleaning the microwave when their food spills
35. People who email out of normal working hours
36. Not having enough annual leave
37. An insensitive boss
38. People not listening to you when you talk and then asking you the same question 10 minutes later
39. People who inflict their mood swings on colleagues
40. An uncomfortable chair
41. Bosses who micromanage everything
42. Bad phone signal
43. The office gossip
44. People who expect the cleaners to tidy up all their mess
45. Someone stealing your favourite mug
46. Having to desk share or 'hot desk'
47. Embarrassing teambuilding exercises
48. Having to engage in small talk
49. Colleagues who don't shower regularly enough
50. Someone leaving their chair out in the middle of the aisle
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments