Last straw with a co-worker?

Question

I have a relatively new co-worker who has an office right beside my cubicle. This man has the worst phone skills you could imagine. He is very loud, uses the speaker phone on every call on one of the loudest settings, and has ignored my repeated requests to stop. I can't hear myself think. (Plus, he walks thru the office burping, but not like a regular burp, he almost sounds like he's going to throw up.) I go to his office and tell him to pick up the handset and he does, but on the next call it's the very same thing like I never asked him. I spoke with my manager about it (even requested him to be moved, but there's nowhere else to put him) and he kinda shrugs it off although the other two people who sit near me want to wring his neck too. I'm starting to look like a total ***** for asking him over and over but I sit closest so I bear the brunt of the volume. This is a small office and there's no HR dept. What else can I do?

Answer 1

You've tried tactful, you tried being polite but up-front, and you've tried going to your boss, I guess now it's time to get devious.  Could you manage to disable the speaker on his phone?  I haven't a clue what to do about the burping.  What a jerk.

Answer 2

You said he has an office beside your cubicle, does that mean he is a superior?  That makes it more difficult.  If you haven't already, go to him and personally tell him that you have a hard time concetrating with distractions.  Although it is not true, make it all about a flaw in YOU not him.  If that doesn't work, then every time he does it, get up and close his door.  That will have everyone paying attention :)

Good luck, this situation sure sounds like it would be difficult to deal with every day.

Answer 3

That is a tough one.  

If you want to stay, you and the other co-workers who'd like to ring burphappy's neck should all go at the same time and talk to the manager.  

Maybe then he'll get a clue.  

Otherwise, I would look for another job, where there is more respect.    

Answer 4

Ugh, what a nightmare. i would continue to complain. And if your boss continues to ignore your requests I would look for another job.

peAce

Answer 5

He is disrupting the office and you and your co-workers need to band together and call a meeting to address the issue.

Answer 6

How about finding out if you can order him a headset so he can ideally use that.  Perhaps one of the reasons he likes the speakerphone is so he can multi-task, but if he uses the headset he can have his hands free.  If that doesn't work, I'd consider earplugs- very cheap at the sporting goods store in the swimming department.  Other than that, sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and deal with pains in the f***y.  

Answer 7

All three of you need to go to the boss.  Ask the boss to call this guy and see how he behaves on the phone.  Ask the boss to sneak into your cubicle when the guy gets telephone calls and see what's up.  Can a door be closed?  Get a tape recorder and record him.  The burps should be a real gag (pun) to hear.

Good luck.  Maybe the guy will mess up something and be fired or find a better job.  Share all leads for other work in the field with him.  LOL

Answer 8

Well since you can hear all his phone conversations start giving him advice about all the things that he is speaking about. I don't mean just a comment here and there. Start giving him advice on every thing he is talking about. If this doesn't shut him up he will probably start begging to me moved! Good Luck  Bob