Open Plan Offices

spen666

Why do people insist on using raised voices when on the phone in open plan offices - especially when speaking to someone at other end of building- they do not need to pick up phone - I can hear both ends of the conversation - as can the rest of the office.

Interesting when its the management speaking to HR about staffing issues!

rick_chasey

spen666 wrote:

Why do people insist on using raised voices when on the phone in open plan offices - especially when speaking to someone at other end of building- they do not need to pick up phone - I can hear both ends of the conversation - as can the rest of the office.

Interesting when its the management speaking to HR about staffing issues!

Because they know it really irritates you.

bonkstrong

It's an indirect management technique used control and manipulate people. I find it very handy when in a pub and your friend (Bob in this case) is at the bar, you shout to someone out of view of said friend "no it's ok Bob's at the bar and he's going to get me one" - works very well

notsoblue

The problem here isn't open plan offices, its your colleagues. You don't happen to work for the public sector do you?

spen666

notsoblue wrote:

The problem here isn't open plan offices, its your colleagues. You don't happen to work for the public sector do you?

I am employed in said sector


Work?

rick_chasey

spen666 wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

The problem here isn't open plan offices, its your colleagues. You don't happen to work for the public sector do you?

I am employed in said sector


Work?

That's where you're going wrong.

When I joined here it was recommended to me that I 'be heard' when I'm on the phone so bosses etc know I'm working.

notsoblue

spen666 wrote:

I am employed in said sector

Really? It comes as a surprise to me that you work in the public sector.

rjsterry

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I am employed in said sector

Really? It comes as a surprise to me that you work in the public sector.

Do keep up NSB, he's mentioned it several times. Why a surprise?

notsoblue

rjsterry wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I am employed in said sector

Really? It comes as a surprise to me that you work in the public sector.

Do keep up NSB, he's mentioned it several times. Why a surprise?

Gah, I'm trolling. Sorry, I'll stop!

Yes, it annoys me when people talk too loudly on the phone. Its very inconsiderate, and can be a nuisance in open plan offices. It used to be a problem where I work now but when someone talks too loudly people tease them for it. Its self regulating.

rick_chasey

notsoblue wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I am employed in said sector

Really? It comes as a surprise to me that you work in the public sector.

Do keep up NSB, he's mentioned it several times. Why a surprise?

Gah, I'm trolling. Sorry, I'll stop!

Yes, it annoys me when people talk too loudly on the phone. Its very inconsiderate, and can be a nuisance in open plan offices. It used to be a problem where I work now but when someone talks too loudly people tease them for it. Its self regulating.

Good I don't work there!

notsoblue

Rick Chasey wrote:

Good I don't work there!

Well its a different environment isn't it? You'd expect people to talk loudly in a recruitment or sales environment.

rick_chasey

notsoblue wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Good I don't work there!

Well its a different environment isn't it? You'd expect people to talk loudly in a recruitment or sales environment.

You say that.

I get told of for being too loud, not for the office, but because it sounds salesey. 'tis true - candidates love it when you're all calm and chilled - like a radio 4 presenter who rates himself a lot.

But, I, like my father, always speak loudly down the phone. Always have done.

veronese68

Our retail manager is Portugese and has a customer in Portugal that calls his mobile. He then takes the call with his phone on speaker. So there are about 15 of us trying to work, often on the phone ourselves, with 2 idiots shouting at each other in Portugese.
This is one of the many reasons I'd like to murderise our retail mangler to death.

notsoblue

If you force yourself to be assertive and a bit loud on the phone then that can be a way to get over the anxiety of having to make sales calls. Or at least thats the impression I get when I receive them :P

rick_chasey

notsoblue wrote:

If you force yourself to be assertive and a bit loud on the phone then that can be a way to get over the anxiety of having to make sales calls. Or at least thats the impression I get when I receive them :P

Sounds about right.

Then again, if all you do is call people, you'd think you'd get it right and get over the anxiety.

I'm basically vocal silk, unless they're tearing me a new one.

spen666

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I am employed in said sector

Really? It comes as a surprise to me that you work in the public sector.

I've never admitted to working in the public sector!

notsoblue

Rick Chasey wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

If you force yourself to be assertive and a bit loud on the phone then that can be a way to get over the anxiety of having to make sales calls. Or at least thats the impression I get when I receive them :P

Sounds about right.

Then again, if all you do is call people, you'd think you'd get it right and get over the anxiety.

I'm basically vocal silk, unless they're tearing me a new one.

Probably depends on what you're selling. If you're cold calling people trying to sell a product that only a small percentage of the people you're calling are going to respond to then I doubt the anxiety ever goes away.

notsoblue

spen666 wrote:

I've never admitted to working in the public sector!

Q: You don't happen to work for the public sector do you?
A: I am employed in said sector

desweller

Maybe they just need to tighten the string between the cups a bit.

spen666

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I've never admitted to working in the public sector!

Q: You don't happen to work for the public sector do you?
A: I am employed in said sector

EXACTLY - my point exactly.

I am employed in the public sector is a very different thing from saying
I WORK in the public sector

Agent57

Rick Chasey wrote:

But, I, like my father, always speak loudly down the phone. Always have done.

To be fair, you have to. The other person's so far away; gotta make sure they can hear you.

Open plan offices are good and bad. Sometimes I like mine; it helps with the sense of being part of a wider team. e.g. I sit near to editorial people, and I see people coming and going, whether it's higher-ups, visitors, whoever, and I can wander down a few desks and talk to the people I'm writing stuff for, or just get to know people -- I think that'd all be a bit harder if it meant going into another team or individual's room.

On the other hand, when I want peace and quiet and to get my head down, it's less helpful.

Our main problem is that there aren't enough desks for the amount of people who want to use them. Some mad-cap idea about hot-desking, and only needing desks for 80% of people because the other 20% are out and about, on leave or in meetings. Maybe the numbers stack up for some teams, or over the long term, but on a real-world, day-to-day basis it's a hare-brained idea. The "clear desk" policy falls over because there's not enough storage, and packing everything up at the end of the day is a PITA. Besides, we geeks like to build walls of books.

Can't say I've really had a problem with people on the phone though.

notsoblue

spen666 wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I've never admitted to working in the public sector!

Q: You don't happen to work for the public sector do you?
A: I am employed in said sector

EXACTLY - my point exactly.

I am employed in the public sector is a very different thing from saying
I WORK in the public sector

Pffft, my tax pays your wages!

spen666

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I've never admitted to working in the public sector!

Q: You don't happen to work for the public sector do you?
A: I am employed in said sector

EXACTLY - my point exactly.

I am employed in the public sector is a very different thing from saying
I WORK in the public sector

Pffft, my tax pays your wages!

Civil servants - never knowingly over worked

notsoblue

spen666 wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I've never admitted to working in the public sector!

Q: You don't happen to work for the public sector do you?
A: I am employed in said sector

EXACTLY - my point exactly.

I am employed in the public sector is a very different thing from saying
I WORK in the public sector

Pffft, my tax pays your wages!

Civil servants - never knowingly over worked

Not all civil servants are lazy :P

aeon

yes - c.f. the thread about certain parts of the financial services sector working from 7.30 (as if that's unimaginably early!) and finishing before 5 (luxury!).

/grumpy civil servant who is working this weekend again

Monkeypump

spen666 wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I've never admitted to working in the public sector!

Q: You don't happen to work for the public sector do you?
A: I am employed in said sector

EXACTLY - my point exactly.

I am employed in the public sector is a very different thing from saying
I WORK in the public sector

Pffft, my tax pays your wages!

Civil servants - never knowingly over worked

Paging DDD....

notsoblue

aeon wrote:

yes - c.f. the thread about certain parts of the financial services sector working from 7.30 (as if that's unimaginably early!) and finishing before 5 (luxury!).

/grumpy civil servant who is working this weekend again

I bet the type of lazy person who blames their laziness on the sector they work for must really get on your wick!

cyclingprop

Sigh. Not the time to mention being a consultant is it.