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I'm back to complain about Chatty Cathy!!


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So Chatty Cathy is still chatty and still feels the need to make noise whether it be "do di do di do" as she's walking back to her desk, or "thwump" when she puts her backpack down, or when another coworker's text alert goes off with soft music she'll go "doodly doodly doodly do" or when one of our phones rings and the ringer is turned way up she'll get startled and go 'Oh ack, oh my god".

 

On top of the chattiness and taking numerous personal phone calls throughout the day to talk about her most recent trip (literally spent 30 minutes talking to a friend about her recent trip to Boston and relaying every single detail to her during work time!) or what she will be having for dinner that night or what she will be doing over the weekend, there's the fact that I think she spends maybe an hour a day doing actual work and the rest of it is spent on Facebook, buying stuff on Amazon, writing personal emails from her Yahoo account and even reading a book she pulls up on the computer. Now you may say "How do you get any work done if you are so busy watching her?" Well she sits right in front of me and I can see her computer screen right over the top of my computer screen. I am the only one who can see it . It's hard NOT to notice what she's doing. We use 2 computer screens and she always keeps a work project up on her other screen. I have noticed her double click quite quickly her other screen to hide Facebook or her book when someone is approaching. I know when she's NOT working because she's quiet because she's reading things on the Internet. However, the moment she starts working she talks out loud like everything she is doing is SOOO difficult and she sighs and makes it seem like nobody has as difficult a job as her.

 

There are 4 of us on the team yet I find only 3 of us really share duties because she is always saying she doesn't understand something so she doesn't want to do it because it would take too long and mine as well have one of us who understands it do it. And management seems to be fine with that. There is a weekly article that rotates between 3 of us but not her because she doesn't really understand the process. We all have to head up several books every year but there is a process that she doesn't understand and she sits there and makes it seem like it's the hardest thing in the world and woe is me until one woman always pipes up and says she'll do it for her to which Chatty says "oh thank you so much" which just means it gives her more time to read her book or go on Facebook. The art dept wants to meet with our group once a month to talk about the asset management system and Photoshop and Chatty goes "Oh well I don't think I need to be involved in that since it really just involves the stuff you guys do that I don't understand". She simply wants to do the one thing she knows how to do and that's it. She has been here for 18 years whereas me and the other girl have been here for just over a year and we are way more diversified than she is.

 

It is very frustrating to see all she doesn't do throughout the day. Yet nobody here rats on anyone else so it's just a matter of sucking it up.

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Rejected Rosebud

Why spend so much energy on stuff other people do that annoys you? I get it but heck just let it roll off your back and enjoy your day!

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Since you can see her 2 computer screens, spend the day documenting the time and activity she does online. After a full day of doing that, bring it to the attention of your department supervisor. Complain that Chatty's not pulling her weight and spends it online doing other things or taking personal phone calls instead of doing her work. Without any documentation, you have no proof that Chatty is doing these things. You can also address Chatty directly and tell her that her activities distract you from doing your own work. Either way, the ball is in your court to take action. Either confront Chatty and tell her to stop goofing off, or document her activity without her knowledge for a full day then go report her to your dept supervisor.

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Since you can see her 2 computer screens, spend the day documenting the time and activity she does online. After a full day of doing that, bring it to the attention of your department supervisor. Complain that Chatty's not pulling her weight and spends it online doing other things or taking personal phone calls instead of doing her work. Without any documentation, you have no proof that Chatty is doing these things. You can also address Chatty directly and tell her that her activities distract you from doing your own work. Either way, the ball is in your court to take action. Either confront Chatty and tell her to stop goofing off, or document her activity without her knowledge for a full day then go report her to your dept supervisor.

The thing is nobody here rocks the boat because we all work together in close quarters. I will admit it is a laid back company, but she takes things over the top. I think people don't think anything of it because she is constantly talking and engaging people in conversation so she can't be a bad person right?

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The thing is nobody here rocks the boat because we all work together in close quarters. I will admit it is a laid back company, but she takes things over the top. I think people don't think anything of it because she is constantly talking and engaging people in conversation so she can't be a bad person right?

 

Oh there's plenty of bad people who have great social skills and can talk their way out of anything. She sounds like that type of person who does that at your work place. Well, if you don't want to rock the boat, then your only option is to put up with Chatty Cathy and get used to it. Or, start looking for another job?

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If your not willing to do something about it by saying something and providing your evidence then just quit ya complaining.

 

 

But I do see you tend to find things that give you reason to complain.

 

Are you controlling in all areas of your life?

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She's been there 18 years. You've only been there a year. She's not leaving, so you better learn to ignore it. Your boss is fine with it, and lord only knows why, but it's probably been that way for decades, so just stop focusing on it. Now, if she's making repetitive noises and you're on the phone or something, place your call on hold and say, "___, I'm having trouble hearing. Could you....?" but in a nice polite tone so she can't complain about it. And then after you're off, "Thanks."

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DrReplyInRhymes

I've read your posts, and I'm not going to attack you per se,

But you deem this person unworthy of the position, and is annoying everyday.

You complain about this person, to a public forum nonetheless,

But in reality, you do nothing to correct the issue or stress.

 

Have you had a conversation with her? A real one at least?

Have you told her that she doesn't work, and it's causing you grief?

 

The thing is nobody here rocks the boat because we all work together in close quarters. I will admit it is a laid back company, but she takes things over the top. I think people don't think anything of it because she is constantly talking and engaging people in conversation so she can't be a bad person right?

 

That's an excuse to a solution presented to you,

You get a legit answer, then address a different issue.

First you complain the workload is increased because of her complacency,

But when given advice, you dismiss it because you're too scared to proceed...?

 

I hope you find solace and a workaround for you,

Maybe venting on this forum is all you're willing to do?

Doesn't sound like much of a place to work in fact,

if you are smiling to her face, and complaining behind her back.

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Rejected Rosebud
Since you can see her 2 computer screens, spend the day documenting the time and activity she does online. After a full day of doing that, bring it to the attention of your department supervisor.
If she does that she is as bad as the chatty girl, not doing her work. That person's behavior is really none of her business except insofar as it disturbs her! My sister lost her job for spending a lot of time concerning herself with the shortcomings of other employees and reporting about it to the bosses. They even sent her to some kind of special training to get her past it but it didn't take and they fired her, she loved that job too.
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If she does that she is as bad as the chatty girl, not doing her work. That person's behavior is really none of her business except insofar as it disturbs her! My sister lost her job for spending a lot of time concerning herself with the shortcomings of other employees and reporting about it to the bosses. They even sent her to some kind of special training to get her past it but it didn't take and they fired her, she loved that job too.

 

Sorry that happened to your sister. I only suggested that he document Chatty Cathy's activities that weren't work related to act as support for any complaint he may want to submit. But I didn't know he'd only been at his job for 1 year, whereas Chatty Cathy has been there for 18 years and the boss and her coworkers allow her the freedom to do those non-work activities during work hours.

 

So maybe the best solution is for the OP to just ignore Chatty Cathy and focus on his job.

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I've read your posts, and I'm not going to attack you per se,

But you deem this person unworthy of the position, and is annoying everyday.

You complain about this person, to a public forum nonetheless,

But in reality, you do nothing to correct the issue or stress.

 

Have you had a conversation with her? A real one at least?

Have you told her that she doesn't work, and it's causing you grief?

 

 

 

That's an excuse to a solution presented to you,

You get a legit answer, then address a different issue.

First you complain the workload is increased because of her complacency,

But when given advice, you dismiss it because you're too scared to proceed...?

 

I hope you find solace and a workaround for you,

Maybe venting on this forum is all you're willing to do?

Doesn't sound like much of a place to work in fact,

if you are smiling to her face, and complaining behind her back.

 

Um yeah....good luck having a conversation with her! Every time I try to engage her by answering her or adding an anecdote to her conversation I can't even get a full sentence out before she talks over me or tries to guess what I'm going to say! And whatever I do say isn't as interesting as what she's about to say!

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It really is kind of odd that you know EXACTLY what she's doing on her computer at all hours of your work day!

 

Because it's right there in front of me!!! I'd have to try and divert my eyes NOT to see it!

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She's been there 18 years. You've only been there a year. She's not leaving, so you better learn to ignore it. Your boss is fine with it, and lord only knows why, but it's probably been that way for decades, so just stop focusing on it. Now, if she's making repetitive noises and you're on the phone or something, place your call on hold and say, "___, I'm having trouble hearing. Could you....?" but in a nice polite tone so she can't complain about it. And then after you're off, "Thanks."

 

The reason no one knows about her behavior is because our dept is across the street from the main building in a little house and nobody comes over unless they need something. Our manager is in the main building and doesn't know what she does. Chatty just sits at her desk in her cozy corner of, I guess you'd call it the den, and reads and facebooks!

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The reason no one knows about her behavior is because our dept is across the street from the main building in a little house and nobody comes over unless they need something. Our manager is in the main building and doesn't know what she does. Chatty just sits at her desk in her cozy corner of, I guess you'd call it the den, and reads and facebooks!

 

So do you feel trapped there? How many employees are there in your little house? Just you and Chatty Cathy? If you can help it, just ignore Chatty Cathy and focus on your work instead. Maybe use your work time to job search online? You don't sound happy there.

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The reason no one knows about her behavior is because our dept is across the street from the main building in a little house and nobody comes over unless they need something. Our manager is in the main building and doesn't know what she does. Chatty just sits at her desk in her cozy corner of, I guess you'd call it the den, and reads and facebooks!

 

Why do you care? It's her job and she's been there 18 years. You aren't the boss to her but you want to control her?

 

Just do your own job.

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So do you feel trapped there? How many employees are there in your little house? Just you and Chatty Cathy? If you can help it, just ignore Chatty Cathy and focus on your work instead. Maybe use your work time to job search online? You don't sound happy there.

My job is the most awesome job ever!!I love everything about it....except her! There are a total of 12 of us in the house...7 downstairs and 5 upstairs and there are 4 of us in the den area. If I didn't have to sit right next to her I'd be fine but having to deal with her constant talk day after day drives me insane. Even when none of us respond to her she just keeps going on and on!

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Why do you care? It's her job and she's been there 18 years. You aren't the boss to her but you want to control her?

 

Just do your own job.

I don't want to control her but I want her to shut up! Yes, everyone talks to each other but everyone else knows when to talk and when to work. She apparently doesn't have that switch. Se is so busy informing us of the new restaurant around the corner and telling us the latest Facebook news and telling us every detail of her vacation and what she had for dinner last night and reading us word for word everything off of a web page that we can't concentrate! How can you do your own job when there is nonstop nonsense talk coming out of her mouth?? Even headphones don't block her out!

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Since you can see her 2 computer screens, spend the day documenting the time and activity she does online. After a full day of doing that, bring it to the attention of your department supervisor. Complain that Chatty's not pulling her weight and spends it online doing other things or taking personal phone calls instead of doing her work. Without any documentation, you have no proof that Chatty is doing these things. You can also address Chatty directly and tell her that her activities distract you from doing your own work. Either way, the ball is in your court to take action. Either confront Chatty and tell her to stop goofing off, or document her activity without her knowledge for a full day then go report her to your dept supervisor.

 

Ask one of your other co workers to work at your desk for one week. Trade spots, just so she/he can see what goes on with chatty cathy. Maybe they don't know how often she's actually not working and how she is wasting company time by playing instead of working.

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My job is the most awesome job ever!!I love everything about it....except her! There are a total of 12 of us in the house...7 downstairs and 5 upstairs and there are 4 of us in the den area. If I didn't have to sit right next to her I'd be fine but having to deal with her constant talk day after day drives me insane. Even when none of us respond to her she just keeps going on and on!

 

Okay, ask to move your work area then. Be honest with the others and say you just cannot take working next to her anymore as you find her loud and annoying, you can't tune her out since she talks a lot and loudly. You can't be the only one? Do others not notice she yaps too much? Or, you all should talk to her, the four of you sit down and ask her to be more involved, talk less. You can do it politely and respectfully, without hurting her feelings.

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I'd let it go personally!!

 

 

There'll always be people in life that don't pull their weight and I'm okay with that! Cause its born in you, and I wouldn't want to be that person so live and let live.

There are people in life you get by by saying "i cant" "your so much better at xyz" "i'm useless at xyz" and you know what - it works for them! Well great for them! We could all do that after all....except I couldn't - call it competitiveness, pride & ego or call it work ethic, integrity & sense of responsibility - doesn't matter, the fact is I was born that way, I wouldn't change who I am, and they weren't. I live and work the way I was born to live and work and I do it for me, not for them or anyone else so I don't really care about other peoples work ethic anymore!

 

 

I worked in one job where my boss set me this basically impossible task and phrased it "I know I might be asking too much Alfie...." and the second the words we're out her mouth I knew damn well id be completing it! haha! I knew she'd played me, phrased it like that cause I'm competitive as hell and she knew it but I didn't care - you cant change the way you are!

To me if Joe can do it, then I can! And if Kevin can do it in 10mins, I'm going to do it in 9.59! :cool::lmao:

 

 

Can't fight the way you are nor can you change the way others are! Its like on the football pitch - sometimes you have to carry others and it doesn't matter who gets the credit providing you get the win!

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I am trying, I really am, and some days are better than others but some days are awful.

 

What I hate is that Monday mornings we all gather for our round table meeting. There are 13 of us at this meeting and we all go around and tell everyone what we are working on that week. And OMG, every time it comes to her she makes a HUGE deal about what she's working on and how much there is and how she'll need help completing it or how she doesn't understand one part and needs someone else to do that for her. Everyone sympathizes and chips in. Yes I agree that you did get stuck with one of the larger books, but that's how it fell this year but the thing is you go back to your desk and check Facebook and read your ebook and check your personal mail and shop on Amazon for 6 hours out of the day and THAT is why you aren't getting things done and need help!

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