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Survey Says: What Is the Most Annoying Office Behavior?
In a new survey, bosses open up about what employee habits drive them crazy.
Posted 6/ 28 11 at 1:00 PM | Business Trends, Advertising & Marketing, Management, International Business, Online Business, Human Resources
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Do your employees sometimes drive you crazy? It's OK to admit it, because a new survey shows you're certainly not alone. Want to land upscale baby boomers as customers? Online coupons will help. And how does the United States stack up when it comes to offering flexible work arrangements? Likely not as high (or low) as you might think. Here's a closer look at some of the latest small-business surveys.Now, That's Annoying
Ever had an employee who just bugs you? (Yeah, me too.) A new survey from Manta asked entrepreneurs to "fess up about which employee habits drive them crazy." "Sloppy grooming" topped the list, cited by 40 percent of those who took the Manta SMB Nation Survey. Close behind was talking too much on the phone with family members (29 percent).
Bosses also cited messy work areas (9 percent) and employees who return from breaks reeking of cigarette smoke (8 percent -- that one gets my vote). Employees who feel shy about fundraising for their children's organizations shouldn't. Just 1 percent of business owners surveyed said in-office fundraising was annoying -- so, unless you're working for Scrooge, go ahead and solicit orders for Girl Scout Cookies. (Frankly, I'd be annoyed if my employees didn't do this!)
A Finn State of Affairs
Got some really annoying employees? Consider encouraging them to move to Finland -- not just because it will get them out of your hair, but because that nation has the highest percentage of companies offering flexible work arrangements, according to a global survey by accounting firm Grant Thornton International of more than 7,700 companies in 39 countries.
An astounding 92 percent of Finnish firms offer flextime. Sweden, Australia, Thailand, New Zealand and the Netherlands also ranked high on the list -- more than 80 percent of firms in these nations offer flexible work arrangements.
Countries where workers are least likely to find a flextime option? Japan (18 percent), Greece (26 percent) and Armenia (35 percent) took the (dis)honors here. Wondering where the United States came in? We do pretty well, at 79 percent. I hope your company is one of those 79 percent, since I've always found flextime to be one of the best ways to keep employees happy.
Savings Plan
If you haven't jumped on the online coupon bandwagon, you'd better hurry -- because although it's growing fast, the trend will peak soon. eMarketer reports that by the end of the year, nearly half of adult U.S. Internet users (88.2 million people) will have redeemed an online coupon or code either online or offline in the past 12 months.
By 2013, that number will reach 96.8 million adults. However, eMarketer says the growth rate of online coupon use will start gradually declining that year, because most of the consumers who are likely to use online coupons would have already adopted the practice.
While coupons from newspaper supplements may have a downmarket image (though I admit I clip a bunch every Sunday), online coupons are decidedly different. The majority of online coupon users, according to eMarketer, are affluent, well-educated and over 55 (and yes, I use these too -- notice a pattern here?).
Rieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a content and consulting company that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva and visit SmallBizDaily.com to sign up for her free TrendCast reports.
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Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Good Morning @Reiva! Did you realize that the last section of your article has nothing to do with the rest of the story? I'm hoping you do and this is just some clever marketing ploy to drive internet coupon traffic. Oh, and this is the only comment here so far that isn't someone's add for something. Have a great day!
Agreed Jamie but add the men who marinate in THEIR cologne.
The most annoying should be those women that wear heavy disgusting perfumes in offices. Forget for a moment that it causes breathing difficulties for many people, it also leaves a nasty taste in the back of people's throats after only a couple of hours.
I completely agree. Those who overdo the perfume are the worst. I, also, hate perfumes that smell like food. If you want to smell like cotton candy, go work at a carnival.
really??? gee, where I work, they dont seem to care if you DONT bath or WASH your clothes, or your hair... I work with some real winners here..
Those were my thoughts exactly! Have you noticed how AOL or AOhell has seriously gone downhill? I don't know who is running the show there, but they must be having a hard time trying to find good help.
Actually, I was replying to jaimie. But thanks for proving my point AOL.
What irritates me are employees who walk around whistling. It's so annoying!
"Want to land upscale baby boomers as customers? Online coupons will help." Is there anyone upscale anymore? Maybe only a handful of people, America is going to hell, another third world country. Anyway, bosses are annoying too. Always sneaking around looking for you, trying to see what you're doing, good worker or not. Then when that boss goes on vacation or is out for a couple of days, watch how there office BF stays in for lunch and doesn't go out like they do every single day when the boss is there so they can watch you and report back to the boss.
Why can't some American companies give you flex time? It's like you're not human and don't need a break or rest time.
I'm surprised with the way some bosses are, after stressing out the employee until their breaking point or firing them, that more people haven't gone back and "bust a cap." IT'S GOING TO START HAPPENING IN NEW JERSEY WITH GOVERNOR CHRISTIE F-CKING UP EVERYONE'S LIVELY HOOD, WHILE MAKING HIMSELF AND HIS RICH BUDDIES RICHER.
THANK YOU for standing up for your other employee's rights! Strong perfumes can be a health hazard!
I'd like to go back to the comments about too much perfume.
I had an employee who used soap with coconut butter in it and the odor flowed thru the office.
I had an employee who was alergic to coconut. Did the employee stop using it when advised of the problem? NO! Did th employee get canned? YES!
Oh, c'mon... it broke up the day, right?
You people don't even know what annoying is until you worked in my old office. People would constantly be taking my office supplies when I wasn't there. When I would come in, in the morning their would be some jerk sitting at my desk with his feet up. Some other jerk glued my retirement clock to my desk. One morning I came in and found every piece of paper in the office along with the paper to be shredded, newspapers, posters, you name it, it was piled on my desk and then my desk was wrapped in what looked like police tape. Oh and lets not forget that someone used my cordless phone and lost it. They took all my files out of the filing cabinet and replaced them with their personal belongings. They would cut out pictures of other people and tape them over my family photos. And the best part of it all is that they thought that they were being funny. I was told they picked on me cause they liked me. Well you know who's getting the last laugh? Me!! I am now retired while the rest of those idiots are still dragging their butts to work everyday. Ha Ha Ha Ha!! Now that's funny!!!
We have a small office with a very open plan. The secretary has a CONTINUOUS hacking cough ALL DAY LONG that drives us all nuts. Worst part? She doesn't even bother to cover her mouth while spreading her germs EVERYWHERE. Disgusting!
I got laid off from one company because the other person had seniority. This woman would spend at least an hour a day talking to her daughter on the phone (being very careful to do so when the boss wasn't looking, of course). I NEVER made any personal calls unless they were absolutely necessary, actually proofread my work (she didn't even use Spellcheck) and still made less per hour. I was happy to leave!
People who think that just becuase their farts are quiet they aren't noticed - WRONG!!!!!
I think the most annoying habit employees have is chewing and cracking gum. I just don't believe that gum belongs in the work place.
Texting and always talking on their cell. How on earth does one person have that much to say to another. When at work your mind should be on the job not about a friend or family's personal life. If you sneeze cover your mouth and use hand santizer. Other employee cubicles are off limits. Ok a silent fart can be an accident but a belch nahhh. As a woman I make sure that if I wear perfume it is extremely light,mostly I do not wear it because it does really offend people. Take a mint after a smoke break. I have no idea about this coupon business and where that fits into making your office a better place to work. And yes I agree that Girl Scout cookies should be sold or other school org for benefits to help the school. One does not have to buy anything. Shower daily,brush our teeth and wear clean clothes. Not all that hard.
How about co-workers who eat like pigs at a trough. Our new office building consists of cubicles now. I share an office space with a "gentleman" who eats every hour on the hour...crunching on celery, apples, nuts, etc. How much celery can a person eat in a day? Then the "lady" across from me has the most uncivilized eating manners. She starts off with steak, chicken, or pork at 7 in the morning. She talks with her mouth full and licks her fingers while talking to others. She crunches on pork rinds like it's the last ounce of food she'll ever be able to shove in her face. It's disgusting! We have a break room these people can retire to so they can snack. If they eat like this around other people, imagine how much worse it probably is in their homes. SICK!!!!
A long time ago I used to work across from this woman who picked her nose. It was disgusting. I would say, 'Hey Wendy, here's a tissue.' Do you think she got the message? No.