our office is very high traffic because we have our own copier and fax machine. there is a string of people in and out all day. the problem there is countless interruptions, and because out boss is such a social creature, our office has become the dumping ground for all the negativity against the workplace and also the break room. we can't even have a department meeting without someone coming in, plopping down in the middle of it and starting a conversation about something totally irrelevant, and the boss's way of handling it is to allow it.
a while back, roberta and i tried again to talk to her about the disruptions and were attempting to explain to her that it affects our job performance when in walks monika and boss's full attention turned to her. roberta and i threw up our hands and decided we would just have to deal with it.
until yesterday, when i blew.
my transcription desk is in one of the file rooms, put there because the outer office had way too much traffic and the former transcriptionist there finally threw a hissy fit, yanked off her earphones and said - will y'all just SHUT UP! we recently archived all the records in the outer file room, and the boss has decorated it nicely for christmas. it's very pretty, and we have enjoyed it immensely.
well, someone suggested that it be turned into a break room...and then they brought all their lunch goodies - pies, cakes, etc and laid them out on the table back there. and during lunch yesterday, when they said they had claimed it as their lunch/break area, i politely said - well, except between 1 and 4:30. that's when i'm transcribing. and i explained to them that between 3 different foreign accents, background noise on the tape and the intercom system in the building that it took some concentration to decipher the word esophagogoduedenoscopy spoken in korean and whatever language egyptians and afghanistani's speak.
around 2 when i was transcribing the psych clinic, monika started creeping around the table. i don't mind that. then she started bringing people in and their conversations began.
i'm all for laughter and gaeity, but i had asked...
and it was the final straw. i went out, grabbed my purse and was headed for home. what was the point in staying, anyway? and then roberta stopped me. it made no sense to quit, right?
and so we gathered up the food an moved itto my OTHER desk in the outer office. monika said, did we disturb you? and that's when i really blew. i told her - i asked you not to do that, and you felt compelled to do it anyway. i need you to respect my work area.
what did the boss do? nothing. in the workplace, there has to be a boundaries. there has to be. i'm not really looking forward to going in today, but the saving grace is, i'm on vacation for the next 7.
