Silencing the office loudmouth
January 5, 2009 by Jennifer AzaraPosted in: Communication tips, Efficiency, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest news & views, Management issues
They lower productivity and raise their co-workers’ blood pressure: workplace loudmouths.
As a manager, you need to do something to correct the situation. The good news: You might not have to do that much.
Odds are other members of your staff have complained about how when Will gets talking, no one can hear themselves think.
What better messenger than the “victims” themselves? Encourage staffers to approach the decibely challenged co-worker themselves and make a request for a lower volume themselves.
The person may feel less under attack if the initial request doesn’t come from someone in a supervisory position. Of course if that doesn’t work, or staffers are just too uncomfortable confronting the person themselves, you’ll have to jump in.
But whether you are the person approaching your loudmouth or it’s a member of your staff, try to mention the specific effect the problem has on you:
“When you get loud in the office it’s tough for me (or Melissa if you’re speaking for others) to concentrate on keying invoices. I tend to make more mistakes and have to go a lot slower.”
Rather than a vague criticism of the individual and a trait he or she may or may not think can be changed, you’re showing the impact that behavior has on everyone else.
That may just get the volume down.
Sound off: How have you dealt with loud staffers? Tell us below.
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Tags: Co-workers' blood pressure, Lower productivity, Office loudmouth, Vague criticism, Workplace loudmouths
January 12th, 2009 at 11:29 am
This advise is nonsense advise. Management should take responsibilty for providing a productive work environment and should initiative from the onset to advise those exhibiting poor behavior that changes must be made.
Management – quit shirking your responsibility and do your job.
January 12th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Or, just fire her lazy a** when you discover that when she’s not trying to impress people with her 47 years of experience while only being 34 years old (or bragging about fighting with her husband, or boasting that although you have a sinus infection, she has walking pneumonia…) she’s busy stealing from the company. The loudmouth is loud for a reason, just fire them and make everyone happy. Trust me, you can easily replace the loser.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
I work for a newspaper and have a coworker who is not only very loud, but who is constantly involving herself in everyone’s conversations she can hear talking. She know everything, has all the answers, knows all the dirt, and has all the answers. Most obnoxious individual. She is someone who is nice to your face and behind your back cuts you up. She spends 1/3 to 1/2 of every day on the web and her personal cell phone. Funny thing is, management allows it. Go figure. Little wonder the newspaper is not making money. If management would crack down salary expense would be just a little less, but no such luck. Does anyone else have individuals such as described in their company? Probably not in private business, because private businesses have to make money.
August 18th, 2010 at 10:16 am
Or you could politely and sincerely inquire if the “loudmouth” has some hearing loss. I have it and even during intense work related discussions or being in places with lots of other conversations and background noise going on, my decibles tend go up without me realizing it and on occasion I need to be reminded. In the past, people have said during a conversation…”I’m not Deaf!” and I say, I’m sorry, but I am! I then explain and people become much more tolerant and even helpful when the situation occurs in the future. Waiting company time with usless chatter is a different story, but you should find out the reason a person tends to be loud, rather than let bad feelings fester. It might suprise you.
August 19th, 2010 at 9:57 am
Lucinda -
Sorry for your hearing difficulties. I certainly don’t think any of the comments here were regarding a person with diminished hearing; I know for sure that my comments were not.
The folks I refer to can hear a pin drop on shag carpet from 50 feet away, but still insist on waggin their tongues at volume loud enough to drown out a Led Zepplin concert.
Most are just so full of themselves they don’t care who they disrupt.
And the point is it should NOT be an issue that those affected should be forced to address. The management is responsible for correcting bad behaviors and providing an atmosphere that allows foster productivity.