At times, people working with other people get annoyed. But this widespread feeling does not have to ruin the work day. Instead, workers need to detach, confront or withdraw from the particular situation. Pet peeves into two categories: environmental and social. Here are the top five in each group:

Environmental

• Room temperature – 56%
• Noise – 37%
• Odors – 25%
• Uncomfortable/cramped offices – 23%
• Messy workstations/common areas – 22%

Social

• Bad habit – 36%
• Office gossip – 29%
• Difficult boss – 25%
• Foul language – 18%
• Speakerphones – 12%

A close look at both categories of annoyances leads to one big conclusion – that each troublesome situation is precipitated by other people. Tuning out irritation requires detachment.

Environmental Irritants

If both environmental and social irritants invade your office, challenge the environmental ones first so that you can work up to the more complex social problems. Resolving environmental annoyances can teach you to focus on a specific situation rather than the person or persons causing it. You will be less likely to blame a person.

One wholesaler with an office over a busy downtown street that was being drilled during a citywide renovation was stressed to his limit. So were his employees. He considered his alternatives. Ear plugs would have kept everyone from hearing each other, telephone callers and office visitors.

Turning on office machines and equipment as camouflage would have created troublesome noise in the immediate workspace. Moving would have cost too much. Finally, the owner settled on detachment, because the noise would be continuing only for a stated period.

A messy or dirty common area, such as a kitchen, can be more complicated, because it involves personalities. Here is your hook: it is also bad business. Customers or suppliers who drop by for a cup of coffee will not be impressed if the facility appears unsanitary or unkempt, because they will think that it mirrors the behind-the-scenes work you do for them. Conscientious workers may start resenting having to clean up for everyone else.

A common problem lends itself to a common solution. Focus on the situation. Tell your boss and/or coworkers that you are concerned that customers and suppliers may assume that the unseen work you do for them is equally inattentive. Suggest assigning each employee a day to clean up the area. Hang a chart in a visible place to remind every employee each day whose turn it is.

To keep people motivated, offer an incentive that the whole group can share. Motivate everyone to use that area as if it were his day to clean. Maintain the momentum by ordering in an occasional treat, such as the best coffee in town. Make it often enough to be a reward without being a bribe.

Social Piques

Pet peeves based on an individual behavior can be more difficult to solve because of potential personality conflicts. Something as irritating as a speakerphone can often be stopped if you ask the person in a slightly peeved tone if he is using one. Telling him that you are having a hard time hearing him should prompt a switch.

It is best to detach from office gossip, but to confront foul language. Tell the person that you are uncomfortable with the language he uses. He may just be having a “bad hair” day. If not, that person is creating verbal harassment, an issue you might want to take up with human resources.

If you have a difficult boss, detach first, because you probably are not going to change his behavior. No luck? Confront not the person but how your work is suffering. If reason does not work and you are convinced that the pet peeve stems from a big problem, find a new boss.

A bad habit that annoys you can be particularly irritating if it makes working difficult. For example, if a team member chronically hands you his part of the work so late that you have to race to met deadlines, tell him that you are concerned that your work may become inaccurate or sloppy. Agree on an “early warning” system to get his part of the project to you. If that does not make him more responsive and responsible, speak to your project supervisor.

Pet peeves do not have to hamper your work. Overlook them if they are insignificant. If they are not, take action. Be creative, and use all of your resources.

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