Work Pet Peeves

G

Genco

100+ Posts
What's your biggest pet peeve at work? I have a couple:

1. The inability to make a decision - Despite one's title, experience or job responsibility, some folks are just incapable of making a decision and living with the consequences. I am amused at how many people need the reassurance (or alibi) of getting confirmation from someone else that the decision they are making is the right one.
2. I am continually astounded at the people who think the fact that they sent someone an email 2 weeks ago and the fact that they have not responded is a good reason why they don't have an answer to my question. Hey dumbass, pick up the phone, have a conversation, and tell me what they say. Don't shrug your shoulders and tell me that you emailed them in March and there is nothing you can do since they haven't responded.
 
I hate it when people wait until you take that first bite into your lunch at your desk to bother you about something. I cannot stand people interrupting my lunch. I don't care if I'm eating at my desk, leave me the f alone.

When people won't give you a chance to settle in when you arrive and immediately start talking to you about something work-related. At least let me check my e-mail before you start flooding me with freaking questions.

People who never answer their phone and insist you communicate to them via voice mail. These same people often never return e-mails, either.

People who will not speak up on conference calls and folks who have sidebar conversations near the Polycom.
Makes it impossible to hear. And also the conversation monopolizer who will not so much as take a breath so you may get a word in edgewise.

People who do not proofread their e-mails before sending them. Message boards are one thing, but the work place is another. I have a project manager who cannot spell 3 words correctly in any given sentence. I don't get it. How can you get anywhere in the business world and be such complete piece of Samsonite?

Finally, put your damn cell phone on vibrate when you're at work. All day long, I get to hear a menagerie of the Mickey Mouse Club theme song, some crap by Stevie Nicks, Cashmere from Led Zeppelin, some lame-*** canned ring tone set at 125 db., and some ******** by Fergieyonce.
 
The whining, crying and dirty diapers are at the top of the list for me. And the the Backyardigan theme song. I want the bastard who wrote that dead.
 
1. People who don't wash after taking a dump.

2. People who use sprintf().

3. People who send HTML emails.

4. People who upload Word documents to the corporate Wiki.

5. Meetings over 30 minutes in duration.
 
I don't think its necessary I type an answer to this question. However, because it often proves therapeutic....

"***** stole my toaster!"
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Odor.

The mixed smell of body odor and curry does not make for a productive or enjoyable programming environment. That's my #1 pet peeve.
 
We have a couple of people who will take off for their lunch hour (sometimes longer) and then bring a lunch back to their desk to eat for another 1/2 hour, several times a week.

We used to have a couple of people who would come in the morning habitually 15-20 minutes late and then after logging in to their computer, take off to the cafeteria for another 30 minutes for breakfast but the last re-org sent them to another dept.
 
My job is a pet peeve of mine. But number 1 is that we have 1 crapper in our building for probably 40 males. You have to have an appoinment to get in there. Then when I do, we have one asshat that waits outside the stall and heaves sighs if you are not out in 30 seconds. I want the download to be a little simpler at work. Of course nobody complains, because who wants to be the one complaining that he can't take a dump when he wants to. I may download in the sink to see if they get the picture.
 
People who walk on the left side of the hall.

******** who insist on peeing in the crapper, but don't raise the lid.

Leaving an empty coffee pot.

When I run out of staples. Not sure why, but this bothers the **** out of me.
 
There is a lady here that seriously doesn't know how to save a file on her computer and then go retrieve it. But I hate it when I have to ask her a question and she goes into a five minute conversation on the topic. Or she answers it and keeps on talking after she answered. Most of us get what we need from her and walk away as she is still talking.
 
It baffles me that people think they can leave the mens room a complete fing mess. People pissing in the urinals and not flushing, leaving papers and stuff in the stalls, etc... Someone also stuffs one of the sinks full of paper towels everday. A coworker of mine put a sign up threatening lives if he catches anyone doing any of the above.
 
I hate managers that request a document for justification then don't bother to read it. Request a meeting "to discuss" and ask a bunch of questions that are addressed in the document that I spent a **** load of time drafting for them and they didn't bother to read.
I spend a large portion of my time creating documents then reading them to the people that I send them.
 
people who cannot answer a simple quetion without updating you on everything they did to accomplish or not accomplish whatever it is you've asked them about.

"Has this package been delivered?"
"I called the courier company right after you told me you wanted it delivered. They were a little late in picking it up because they've been busy, and I35 is still slow from a wreck earlier in the day. But they got the package an hour ago. Then I called them, and was put on hold for a few minutes whle they tracked it down. They had some trouble getting in touch with the courier, because he hasn't been feeling well and was on a bathroom break. But he confirmed that the package was delivered 15 minutes ago."

Would "yes" be that hard?
 
The 2.5 hour conference call I was on today. **** ****. Just stop, nobody is listening anymore.

People who compose emails with such seriousness, deliberation and attention to wordiness that you would think they were drafting a ******* U.N. Resolution. Get to the point and be done with it. The length of most emails exceeds my interest in the matter.

The co-worker who hollers at me as I am making my way down the hall at the end of the day heading towards the elevator. Note to you: this is not the time to stop and "catch up" with me on something. Why? Because I am going home now, which means I do not want an impromptu meeting with you. Schedule some time with me during the day, if you must, but leave me alone when you hear my office door shut for the last time.

People who schedule a meeting for an hour, and when the hour is coming to a close they are clearly not near finished and do not acknowledge that their time is almost up. Show some courtesy for those of us who accepted the meeting request FOR ONE HOUR and complete your business in the appointed time. I agreed to an hour, that's it. When you see me looking at my watch every fifteen seconds this is your clue that you are now imposing on my day.

That's all for now.
 
1. Excessive use of email. If it takes more than 15 minutes to type an email, you should have ******* called them. If you don't get a response, then send the email to ensure the communication got there.
2. Not formatting print ranges before sending **** to me. When I print out a simple spreadsheet that is 38 pages I get pissed.
 
Many of mine have already been touched upon but I'll throw out the following:

Idoits who schedule meetings after 4:00PM on Fridays!
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"But it was the only time open on everbodys' calendar." No kidding it was open...IT'S FRIDAY AFTERNOON!!

Idoits who think everyone is their personal assistant. You know who I'm talking about. They know they've got a meeting to go to, but don't know where it is, what time it starts, what their role is, etc. because they never bothered to read the original email. But somehow they know you're involved so they corner you when you're on the way to something else & try to grill you for information that's been sitting in their email inbox for weeks. They invariably show up unprepared for the meeting, ask stupid questions & get the entire thing off track resulting in...another meeting. Which of course will be scheduled @ 4PM on a Friday
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