Men and Women in the Workplace
 

Okay, last Friday I worked in an office I only occasionally visit, and it's one comprising of abut 8 guys.

A youngish girl started work there last week, and she keeps talking.

Now usually, it's very quiet. Guys just don't talk much when working unless it's functional information exchanging about the work in question. Okay, maybe a bit, when you're making tea or coffee, and are talking about last night's TV or something. Otherwise it's a very quiet place.

But this girl keeps talking, about pretty much anything that occurs to her, and doesn't stop often. One developer who sits next to her said to me privately that 'she's driving me ....ing mad!', and I told him to take it easy, as she's young (I dunno 22 or something), might be a little nervous, and silence can bother some people, right?



Are women and guys like this in most work environments? Are women maybe less productive because of it?

Re: Men and Women in the Workplace
 

Sorry dude. Some people in the workplace are like this.

I have certain (male) customers too, that when they call I know the conversation will be minimum 10-15 minutes. Are women a higher percentage when it comes to being chatty? Probably, because women in general are more social.

I break the stereotype when at work. I can deal with basic socializing but overall, I'd really prefer someone shoot me an e-mail than blather on during a phone call. (A couple minutes of small talk is fine, but then get to the point!)

(I can't really relate to "in office" situations as I've worked for myself for so many years and even abandoned my office a couple years back to work at home. So, most contact is by phone or when I go to meetings.)

However, get me on the phone with an old friend and we can easily shoot the breeze for an hour catching up.

Re: Men and Women in the Workplace
 

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Are women and guys like this in most work environments? Are women maybe less productive because of it?

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Oh my god, are you kidding? Hell yes they are less productive! People who do this have a lot of nerve.

I have a problem in that the girl who does this the most at my work happens to be a friend of mine. Some days she doesn't seem to want to work and proceeds to talk ALL DAY LONG. It's getting to be ridiculous. The rest of us are fairly quiet and focused on our projects. My friend doesn't appear to see anything unethical or disruptive about yapping on the phone for hours (personal calls). She talks so loudly that we all get to hear about her dumb personal problems and her friends' personal problems. Then, she gets out of her seat when she's bored and comes over to MY desk to chat me up. Sometimes it's about her babysitter or her husband, but often it's about some news story. Why do I want to hear this crap in the middle of a work day? It's driving ME [censored] crazy.

I don't know what to do about it. In a way I'm resentful that I have to work so hard while she's probably paid more money to chat with her friends. And why does management not notice?

Re: Men and Women in the Workplace
 

I am working fairly ridiculous hours right now in a pretty high stress position. There is a young woman (25) who suppports me, but in the infinite wisdome of our corporate structure, I don't supervise. She talks a ton, not as much to me, but to the other women in our office. I really don't know how to keep her focused on the work, because lord knows I need the help and she is competent when she sets her mind to it.

Actually looking back I am not sure if it is not more a function of age than being a woman, or talking a ton. It is just that it would never occur to her to do anything that she is not specifically asked to do, and given a timeframe that the task has to be completed in. I know that when I was right out of college I felt put upon if I was expected to work more than a few hours a day.

Re: Men and Women in the Workplace
 

One thing I've noticed about guys, they can work super hard and be pretty quiet for days but when they feel like talking about sports, suddenly all etiquette goes out the window.

They turn up their speakers and start playing some video clip for one of their coworkers SUPER LOUD, of course, and yucking it up like they are in a locker room. Doesn't matter what the sport...football, baseball, golf....they have no volume control as they try to impress each other and be part of the boys club.

And the rest of us have to sit there and endure it because, you know, guys pretty much rule in the office.

Re: Men and Women in the Workplace
 

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I know that when I was right out of college I felt put upon if I was expected to work more than a few hours a day.

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lol. Hey maybe that explains what's up with the two new guys at my company. They are fresh out of college and have a very slacky attitude! We've all noticed that they practically run out of the building at around 4:30.

Most of the older workers understand that we are expected to stay late until our project is completed. But I really can't see either of these 2 guys staying past 5:00 or ever coming in on a weekend.

Re: Men and Women in the Workplace
 

I am pretty quiet (female) in the workplace, and don't like sharing personal details at all with coworkers (or neighbors for that matter). I don't think its a gender issue, I think it might be that she is nervous as suggested.

Re: Men and Women in the Workplace
 

I only work with women as yes we have our times when we just sit and gab. This is when we are not busy(it happens from time to time) and its our chance to catch up. Yes, I think it can effect our productivity-there are things we could/should be doing if we are not busy with patients.
The women I work with a some of my closest friends but sadly we do not see each other often outside of work.

Diebitter, I have to laugh because I work with a very young girl, very sweet but get her started and yikes! I will often avoid eye contact and she will find someone else to pull into her one sided conversation.

Re: Men and Women in the Workplace
 

In politics-heavy offices, people often feel they are required to do this in order to maintain the constantly reinforced social ties that are their only real job security.

Of course, while some office environments are settled and there's nothing you can do about it even from your first day on the job, other times it becomes which came first, the chicken or the egg -- do you have to talk so much to keep afloat in a place that's way too political, or is it talking so much that encourages people to create drama and be political?

The end result can wind up the same, with everybody trapped and spending a lot of their time and almost all of their effort and creativity on keeping from falling out of favor, or trying to vanquish enemies. And actually doing their job becomes, at best, distantly secondary; it's not what they need to do most and it's not what they are judged by.

Re: Men and Women in the Workplace
 

I don't work in an office per se, but i have noticed that people who aren't married/have sig others seem to talk much more that those who do. Personally, I don't give damn about your personal life, nor do i care to hear any of your stupid stories.

Also, i work at a place with 2000+ of us, so the likelyhood of actually working with the same person more than 1 week in any given year is slim.