Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations Mike Lewis on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Crazy keyboard pounder 3
- Thread starter pgmr777
- Start date
trixierebecca
MIS
I think you should focus on doing your job. They aren't paying you to worry about the person in the cube next to you.
-
1
- #24
goombawaho
MIS
That's harsh. Must be from human resources!!!
I'm sorry but that's an ignorant and insensitive comment. People are people and they will always be affected by things at work: temperature, noise, rude coworkers, inept bosses, bureaucracy, etc.
trixierebecca
MIS
I'm not a human resources person. However, if somebody came to me and complained about this, this is what I would tell them.
-
1
- #26
CajunCenturion
Programmer
@trixierebecca - Your suggestion sounds like they come straight out of an MBA textbook. Theoretically, it's great. However, we don't live in a theoretical world. In the real world, you have to deal with real people and real situations, not just concepts from a textbook.
If someone came to me and complained about this, I would try to learn as much about the situation as reasonable, starting with the person registering the complaint. Does this person have a history of complaining? In the past, when this person has raised an issue, it is with merit? Are there other people in the office similarly affected (Just because one is bringing up an issue doesn't mean the issue doesn't exist). Then I would try to find a solution that satisfies everyone.
Maybe the most practical thing is to get a new keyboard and/or padding for the heavy typist.
Maybe I would move the heavy typist to a different location.
Maybe I would move the person who registered the complaint.
Maybe I would do something entirely different based on what I learn about the situation.
And yes, maybe I would tell the complainer to focus on doing their job.
However, what I would not do is to arbitrarily jump to conclusions and exercise the last presented option.
--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read
FAQ181-2886
Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something. - Plato
If someone came to me and complained about this, I would try to learn as much about the situation as reasonable, starting with the person registering the complaint. Does this person have a history of complaining? In the past, when this person has raised an issue, it is with merit? Are there other people in the office similarly affected (Just because one is bringing up an issue doesn't mean the issue doesn't exist). Then I would try to find a solution that satisfies everyone.
Maybe the most practical thing is to get a new keyboard and/or padding for the heavy typist.
Maybe I would move the heavy typist to a different location.
Maybe I would move the person who registered the complaint.
Maybe I would do something entirely different based on what I learn about the situation.
And yes, maybe I would tell the complainer to focus on doing their job.
However, what I would not do is to arbitrarily jump to conclusions and exercise the last presented option.
--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read
FAQ181-2886
Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something. - Plato
goombawaho
MIS
All excellent and thoughtful comments. However, the OP has basically said the company is "screwed up" and nothing will come of contacting supervisor/HR. OP has decided to stay quiet and suffer because of the money/benefits combo.
Personally, it would really bother me too and I would start looking (semi-aggressively) for another job.
Remember - people are already cranky for having to get to work and be at work all day. Any aggravations magnify the grumpiness.
CajunCenturion
Programmer
==> However, the OP has basically said the company is "screwed up" and nothing will come of contacting supervisor/HR.
Yes, the OP did say that, but pgmr777 also said (8 Jun 12 14:39) that he/she had decided to say because of the spectacular benefits. As long as pgmr777 believes that the value of the pay and benefits outweighs the workplace costs, then pgmr777 should be fine. I respect that decision and I'll leave it at that. Personally, I don't know what I would do in that situation. Naturally, you want to communicate with your supervisor, but that's tough in any environment. What to say, how to say it, where to say it, and when to say it, all have to be tailored to what will work, and not work, with your supervisor in that workplace environment.
My response was primarily directed at trixierebecca and the comments of how trixierebecca would respond if approached with such a complaint. I would respond differently. Of course, neither response does pgmr777 any good because we're not responding as if in pgmr777's shoes, but in the shoes of pgmr777's manager.
--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read
FAQ181-2886
Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something. - Plato
Yes, the OP did say that, but pgmr777 also said (8 Jun 12 14:39) that he/she had decided to say because of the spectacular benefits. As long as pgmr777 believes that the value of the pay and benefits outweighs the workplace costs, then pgmr777 should be fine. I respect that decision and I'll leave it at that. Personally, I don't know what I would do in that situation. Naturally, you want to communicate with your supervisor, but that's tough in any environment. What to say, how to say it, where to say it, and when to say it, all have to be tailored to what will work, and not work, with your supervisor in that workplace environment.
My response was primarily directed at trixierebecca and the comments of how trixierebecca would respond if approached with such a complaint. I would respond differently. Of course, neither response does pgmr777 any good because we're not responding as if in pgmr777's shoes, but in the shoes of pgmr777's manager.
--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read
FAQ181-2886
Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something. - Plato
goombawaho
MIS
I understood what you meant CajunCenturion
I'm concerned OP has jumped off a bridge.
I'm concerned OP has jumped off a bridge.
goombawaho
MIS
Maybe OP and others can read this to see that they are not alone in terms of workplace misery. It's a common thing.
Some words are NSFW
Some words are NSFW
trixierebecca
MIS
A person who would complain about something like this is the kind of person who just looks for things to complain about.
goombawaho
MIS
Whoa dude. I think this poster has more to complain about than you do with your "sent home" post. Way more - crappy company that doesn't respond to workers problems and psycho-biotch co-worker that you can't discuss anything with plus the noise factor. Way more maddening and more than one instance to deal with.
- Moderator
- #34
Interesting situation.
A "quiet" keyboard would, in fact, be the solution.
The keyboard pounder is obviously working; if she wasn't, she wouldn't be there, correct?
It could be that the OP is a little over-sensitive to the noise. A combination solution (a quieter keyboard for the pounder, and maybe some soothing music with noise cancelling headphones for the OP...
Trying to "out pound" them is not constructive.
Complaining to a supervisor and/or HR about someone being loud on their keyboard would, to me, sound trite.
Perhaps moving to another cubicle/location would also be a solution.
7 Habits #4: Think Win-Win. What is a solution that solves the problem for all involved?
Just my 2¢
"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."
--Greg
A "quiet" keyboard would, in fact, be the solution.
The keyboard pounder is obviously working; if she wasn't, she wouldn't be there, correct?
It could be that the OP is a little over-sensitive to the noise. A combination solution (a quieter keyboard for the pounder, and maybe some soothing music with noise cancelling headphones for the OP...
Trying to "out pound" them is not constructive.
Complaining to a supervisor and/or HR about someone being loud on their keyboard would, to me, sound trite.
Perhaps moving to another cubicle/location would also be a solution.
7 Habits #4: Think Win-Win. What is a solution that solves the problem for all involved?
Just my 2¢
"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."
--Greg
SteveTheGeek
MIS
gbaughma said:
The most precisely perfect solution would have some mechanism that harnesses the kinetic energy of the keyboard pounding and converts it to electrical energy to power the music player/noise-cancelling headphones.
CompTIA: A+ (WfW 3.11), Network+
Microsoft: MCSE+I (NT4)
Novell: CNE (4.11, 5.0)
Citrix: CCA (Metaframe 1.0)
Cisco: CCNA (current)
Working on MS 70-642 then CCNP...
FredWagner
MIS
Consider a Video solution for posting on YouTube - have a cup of coffee on your desktop so the vibration from the pounding will show as ripples in the liquid surface, and record a minute or two of the keyboarding with sound, and visual of the waves in the coffee, and post it on YouTube. Viral videos seem to have a way of getting attention lately...
Fred Wagner
Fred Wagner
A little background. I worked for IBM back in the 80s. I remember when the PC came out. It had a really noisy, clicky keyboard. But back then, that's exactly what most people wanted, having only typed on a noisy typewriter previously. The tactile and audio feedback is what they expexted and needed.
Things are different these days; fewer people want that. I expect your co-worker is used to the feedback.
You have several options:
[ol 1]
[li]Continue to wear your earmuffs, and hold your tongue.[/li]
[li]Talk to your co-worker. See if she could tone it down a little. Suggest that the PC folks switch her keyboard to something less noisy, if possible.[/li]
[li]If you get nowhere with that, talk to her supervisor. Explain that the racket is cutting down your productivity.[/li]
[/ol]
I serviced typewriters for 9 years, and I know that ingrained typing habits are very hard to change. I had a lady with an older model IBM typebar typewriter who had a habit of toggling the shift key three or four times after every word (whether she needed to or not). It was just a habit on her part, but I had to replace the worn-out shift cam on that thing twice within a year. And out of the thousands of typebar typewriters I ever fixed, that was the only machine I ever replaced a shift cam on. Ever. Good thing, too - it's a pain to replace.
-- Francis
There are laws to protect the freedom of the press's speech, but none that are worth anything to protect the people from the press.
--Mark Twain
Things are different these days; fewer people want that. I expect your co-worker is used to the feedback.
You have several options:
[ol 1]
[li]Continue to wear your earmuffs, and hold your tongue.[/li]
[li]Talk to your co-worker. See if she could tone it down a little. Suggest that the PC folks switch her keyboard to something less noisy, if possible.[/li]
[li]If you get nowhere with that, talk to her supervisor. Explain that the racket is cutting down your productivity.[/li]
[/ol]
I serviced typewriters for 9 years, and I know that ingrained typing habits are very hard to change. I had a lady with an older model IBM typebar typewriter who had a habit of toggling the shift key three or four times after every word (whether she needed to or not). It was just a habit on her part, but I had to replace the worn-out shift cam on that thing twice within a year. And out of the thousands of typebar typewriters I ever fixed, that was the only machine I ever replaced a shift cam on. Ever. Good thing, too - it's a pain to replace.
-- Francis
There are laws to protect the freedom of the press's speech, but none that are worth anything to protect the people from the press.
--Mark Twain
- Moderator
- #38
Yup... that would get the attention of your boss asking "Why am I paying you to upload videos to YouTube?"
Just my 2¢
"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."
--Greg
- Thread starter
- #39
- Moderator
- #40
So, pgmr777... this thread is rather old... what was the eventual outcome?
Just my 2¢
"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."
--Greg
Just my 2¢
"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."
--Greg
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Question
- Locked
- News