Most of us have that coworker.
They clutter up your inbox with unneeded emails and always have “one more question” in a meeting that didn’t need to happen in the first place. Sometimes they just don’t show up to work at all.
An annoying coworker (or coworkers) can be the difference between a fulfilling job and one that has you revising your resume.
We surveyed over 1,200 American workers to find what coworker behaviors exasperate workers the most– and what is annoying each state in particular.
Keep reading to see the most annoying workplace behaviors and how many workers have left a job because they just can’t stand their coworkers.
Quick Facts
Other Interesting Findings
- After coworkers’ loudness, workers are most annoyed by office gossip and laziness.
- Over half of workers (56%) have complained to a manager or HR about an annoying coworker.
- 92% of workers have at least one coworker that annoys them.
- The most common amount of annoying coworkers is 2-to-5.
- Most states (an impressive 33!) find coworkers’ loud volume most exasperating.
- Four states (Maine, Nevada, Nebraska, and Hawaii) are sick of picking up the slack and find laziness to be the most annoying behavior.
- New Hampshire was the only state to find know-it-all behaviors to be the most aggravating.
Most Annoying Coworker Behaviors
You can see above loudness, office gossip, and laziness are the three most aggravating workplace behaviors.
Yet, annoyance enters almost every facet of existence. From what you wear to what you prepare for lunch, there is a reasonable chance someone in the office finds it bothersome. If you’re not too loud (86% find annoying), you might be too quiet (which frustrates 7%).
While offices may not be willing to outlaw microwaved fish, HR can help establish policies involving meeting procedures and shared workloads in the event of absenteeism they may smooth coworker relationships.
Curious about the 3% who selected “other”? So, were we, luckily our survey respondents were happy to enlighten us.
Other Common Annoying Behaviors
- Rude/disrespectful
- Smoking
- Lies
- Social media
- Talking about their children
- Personal calls at the workplace
- Unresponsive
We left off some uncommon (but odd) answers such as promiscuity, not good with technology, and using too much business jargon.
How Many Annoying Coworkers Do You Have?
92% of workers have one or more annoying coworkers. The most common amount of annoying coworkers is 2-to-5. However, a particularly unlucky 5% have 10 or more annoying coworkers.
When you need more than two hands to count the number of coworkers you can’t stand, it may be time to find a new job.
METHODOLOGY
Zippia.com, a career resource website, conducted a study of 1,210 workers across the US to better understand negative coworker interactions in the workplace.
Each respondent was asked an identical series of questions involving their feelings on coworkers’ behaviors. Vermont was excluded due to sample size.
The survey was conducted in February and March 2021, using Amazon’s M. Turk survey platform.
Soundproof Headphones Anyone?
While many behaviors annoyed some of our respondents, an overwhelming 86% are frustrated by their coworkers’ loud volume.
There is a real cost to these frustrations; 29% of workers have left a job due to coworker annoyances. Companies can save money and improve employee satisfaction through soundproofing and creating an environment with separate work areas for independent work and collaboration.
One step further, companies can join the flexible work revolution. By allowing employees to choose to work remotely or work from the office, you can allow them to control the volume of their workspace and choose the right habitat for the task they have at hand.
It might just help with employee retention and improve productivity.
Just think of how much time workers will save when they don’t have to blast their headphones to tune out their coworker small talk or incessant humming.
What Each State Says Is The Most Annoying Behavior In A Coworker
| State | Most Annoying Behavior |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Too Loud |
| Alaska | Too Loud |
| Arizona | Too Loud |
| Arkansas | Too Loud |
| California | Too Loud |
| Colorado | Too Loud |
| Connecticut | Too Loud |
| Delaware | Gossip |
| Florida | Too Loud |
| Georgia | Too Loud |
| Hawaii | Laziness |
| Idaho | Frequent Absences |
| Illinois | Too Loud |
| Indiana | Too Loud |
| Iowa | Negative/pessimist |
| Kansas | Too Loud |
| Kentucky | Bad at their job |
| Louisiana | Tardiness |
| Maine | Laziness |
| Maryland | Too Loud |
| Massachusetts | Too Loud |
| Michigan | Too Loud |
| Minnesota | Bad at their job |
| Mississippi | Too Loud |
| Missouri | Too Loud |
| Montana | Tardiness |
| Nebraska | Laziness |
| Nevada | Laziness |
| New Hampshire | Know it all/other smug behavior |
| New Jersey | Too Loud |
| New Mexico | Too Loud |
| New York | Too Loud |
| North Carolina | Too Loud |
| North Dakota | Negative/pessimist |
| Ohio | Too Loud |
| Oklahoma | Tardiness |
| Oregon | Too Loud |
| Pennsylvania | Too Loud |
| Rhode Island | Tardiness |
| South Carolina | Too Loud |
| South Dakota | Too Loud |
| Tennessee | Too Loud |
| Texas | Too Loud |
| Utah | Too Loud |
| Virginia | Too Loud |
| Washington | Gossip |
| West Virginia | Too Loud |
| Wisconsin | Too Loud |
| Wyoming | Too Loud |