How To Deal With Noisy Eaters at Work?

Retrogamer · 6 August 2014 at 12:47PM

This probably sounds silly to most people but here's the situation.

I've recently changed roles at my job and had to move to another department with some new people.

In the new team we sit at a big long desk with room for about 20 people, with the manager sitting at the end.
Because our shifts are long (11 hours) the manager / department lets us eat at our desks if we want as long as it doesn't hinder our work.
I'm fine with this, i eat at my desk as well sometimes.

There are two people i sit between who are really noisy eaters. I don't mean crunching noises or anything like that. When they get a coffee, it's as if they need to hoover it into their mouth rather than drink it like normal people.
Anything they eat, is so loud with slurping and lip smacking noises i genuinely couldn't make any more noise than them if i was trying to eat as loud as i could. One of them is into their fitness so he eats at his desk maybe 3 times a day and every time they have to suck their fingers clean, again making as much noise as you probably can in the process.

A few other people feel the same in the team by how annoying / distracting it is but they don't want a potential confrontation or falling out by asking them to turn the mouth volume down a bit.
I've avoided speaking to the manager just now as i'm quite new to the department and it's a pretty minor thing, but for some reason i'm really struggling to ignor eit.

Any suggestions?

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atolaas · 6 August 2014 at 1:01PM

Tricky!!Not something you can complain about easily without seeming petty. Have a chat with the people who this also bothers and find out if they are willing to talk to the managers about it. The managers might be willing to change the rules so that no one is allowed to eat at their desk.

That's the only solution that I can think of atm. Good luck xx

dandelionclock30 · 6 August 2014 at 1:06PM

You always get ignorant pigs at work, I think its difficult as you have just arrived there. If you say anything to them then you will be seen as the trouble causer.
If its really, really bad then you could say to the manager that your finding it hard to concentrate when you have your supervision.They then should raise it with the team about trying to be a bit quieter eating when people are trying to work.
I've had it where I worked but it was more people bringing in stinking food eating it in the main office and then moaning if the windows were opened.
I agree its really bad sucking their fingers I mean who does that?

pinkshoes · 6 August 2014 at 1:08PM

Beat them at their own game.

I recommend a can of mackerel and a diet coke. Aim your fishy burps in their direction...

ste_wilko · 6 August 2014 at 1:14PM

I absolutely hate noisy eaters! One of my housemates at uni last year knew this and would make as much noise as he could just to annoy me lol.

My advice would be to ask them discreetly if they would curb their enthusiasm when eating. It wouldn't be fair to the rest of the team to have eating at the desk banned, as you've said you work 11 hour shifts.

Good luck!!

pimento · 6 August 2014 at 1:15PM

Earphones and iPod?

moneyistooshorttomention · 6 August 2014 at 1:22PM

Personally, I'd have a word with the manager and make it plain that it was necessary for everyone to be able to eat at their desk (ie with those long shifts), but could they ask the noisy eaters to "cut the volume down", as you were finding it difficult to concentrate on your work.

I know what you mean from a lodger I had some years back. In that case, I had to leave the kitchen when he was slurping and chomping his food down (complete with mouth open whilst doing so). That lodger clearly hadn't been brought up properly to have normal manners and I even realised on one occasion that he was going to the loo without having shut the bathroom door first and I could hear that too:eek:.

I'm guessing these people also haven't been brought up properly and see nothing wrong with doing this/yawning without covering their mouths first/sneezing without turning away also?

Tiddlywinks · 6 August 2014 at 1:34PM

You need to approach t from a work angle to depersonalise it. What impact does their behaviour have on your ability to work?

Do you use the phone whilst they are eating? Does it make it harder to hear or can the person on the other end hear all the lip smacking?

iclayt · 6 August 2014 at 5:24PM

My enormous sympathies.

I've had to cope sitting opposite a woman who has had a mid-morning asparagus cup-a-soup every day for over two years. Lets it cool, and then stirs it vigorously between loud gulps, and worse of all it stinks to high heaven. I've tried opening the doors and windows but the smell is there way into the afternoon. I have to make up reasons to leave the office. She then goes to the gym on her actual lunch break and eats at her desk when she gets back, which usually consists of an avocado and more crackers than I can count. She then grazes loudly all afternoon on various crisp breads. It's driven me absolutely potty but there was nothing I can do, it was only affecting me with being so close to her, and we are allowed to eat at our desks, sometimes I do myself if I have to work through. She's not doing it on purpose, but it's all I can do not to scream some days :eek:

Luckily I leave next Friday! Hope there are no grazers at my new job!

Is there another room anywhere that could be used as a break room, and it could be suggested people eat there instead?

The most I've managed to do is glare at her after a particularly loud soup-gulp or cracker-crunch, usually involuntarily, but I really wish I could be detached enough to ignore it, or brave enough to raise it as a workplace issue. I suppose ultimately you have to make one of those choices - put up or speak up, and if you want to speak up, should probably be sooner rather than later!

PlutoinCapricorn · 6 August 2014 at 6:33PM

This thread has brought back some painful memories: I have never been more grateful to be a self employed, home based worker.

I would have loved to see eating at desks banned completely, especially where there was somewhere to go. I remember someone who used to eat dry cereal directly from the box for breakfast every day: crunch crunch for ages.

I don't think there is a solution: occasionally memos will come round but they don't do any good.

PlutoinCapricorn · 6 August 2014 at 6:35PM

Dandelion, I have just remembered there was a finger sucker in a place I worked ages ago - it was often after eating chocolate. One finger after another, with loud sound effects. She used to shriek with laughter too.

How To Deal With Noisy Eaters at Work?

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