How Close are you to Office Work Colleagues

November5th

Last year two work colleagues turned against me under threat of their own jobs, I will be more wary in the future...

Strider590

It's weird, i've gone from a technical job where I was running about a factory solving problems for people, to an office based role and im finding exactly what the OP has stated. People rarely speak to eachother at work, it feels like there's an atmosphere when really it's just the norm.

I think people can take themselves and their jobs too seriously, like they get behind a desk and suddenly they're too "important" to speak to other people. It's contagious, when one person starts, it soon spreads...... I think there's a hint of competitiveness about it too.
When a certain person is "out of office" it all changes, and this person isn't even a supervisor/manager.

In truth these people having very little to do (compared to a proper engineering role) and are simply trying to give the impression of being busier than they really are.

Middy

LilyDeTilly wrote: »

The jobs I've had have either been one way or the other - very chatty and friendly or nothing at all (sounds like your current job!). Not sure whether this was the reason but I've never stayed long in the jobs which were the latter....

I don't work in an office at the moment. I couldn't stand working in places where the atmosphere is tense. I also don't like it when colleagues are complete b1tches.

I work for a supermarket and I love it. I have the most amazing colleagues who have been fantastic friends outside work. Many colleagues have been there for 20+ years and say that the bonds between colleagues is one of the main reasons they still work for the supermarket.

Its the only employer I have worked for that I can be myself. In other workplaces I have worked at, ex-colleagues hated me as I was too cheery or used too much customer service (I walked out and started a job the following week). My current colleagues said my cheery attitude to life and my customer service skills are my best qualities. They do miss me on my days off. 'Oh its not the same without our Middy'

Googlewhacker

Middy wrote: »

I don't work in an office at the moment. I couldn't stand working in places where the atmosphere is tense. I also don't like it when colleagues are complete b1tches.

I work for a supermarket and I love it. I have the most amazing colleagues who have been fantastic friends outside work. Many colleagues have been there for 20+ years and say that the bonds between colleagues is one of the main reasons they still work for the supermarket.

Its the only employer I have worked for that I can be myself. In other workplaces I have worked at, ex-colleagues hated me as I was too cheery or used too much customer service (I walked out and started a job the following week). My current colleagues said my cheery attitude to life and my customer service skills are my best qualities. They do miss me on my days off. 'Oh its not the same without our Middy'

And modest as well

hellokitty08

send me round! lol I would get some chatter going.

Reggie_Rebel

I work with a right !!!!!!, I'd like to work very closely with her

Hootie19

I work in the children's services department of the local council and ours is a lovely office atmosphere. We mostly arrive at work before starting time and everyone congregates around the kitchen area and has a chat - but at 8.45, official start time, everyone is at their desks and working (boss is an absolute stickler for timekeeping).

We are not allowed to eat at our desks, so we HAVE to go and eat in either the "quiet area/breakout area" or the canteen and we all gravitate to whatever table has anyone from our department sitting at it.

The friendliness of everyone in the department was the one thing that I couldn't get over when I first started working there. It is without a doubt, the most friendly place I've EVER worked.

They arrange nights out where everyone is invited (no demarcation between management / social workers / admin).

I don't think I could work in a cold atmosphere, such as the OP describes. I don't fool myself that any of these people will be my lifelong friends, but they are lovely "work friends".

maninthestreet

The closest work colleague is about 8 feet away from me.

Organic12

I work in a hardly-anyone-speaks-to-each-other team. It threw me at first but I got used to it. I do smile and will chat to anyone (and I mean anyone), so never feel isolated. Not long chats, just quick snatches during the day.

On the plus side, it means I can just get on with the work and head out the door at a sensible time to enjoy myself, while the chatter boxes in other teams are there well into the evening. Additionally I'm not waste time talking to those who I don't like.:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

On the negative side, it took a while to get used to and I never feel I know team mates well enough to fully trust them. Likewise they don't know a lot of things about me and possibly feel the same way. It does mean we don't understand each others reasons and motives as well as perhaps we should do.

IMHO I go to the office to work and be able to pay my way in the world. My employer doesn't pay me to chit-chat, so I do that after the working day. I know it's not for everyone but it seems to generally work for me.

RedSoleShoes

SHIPSHAPE wrote: »

I've never understood this need to make friends at work.

Sure, be polite and helpful, but I like to choose my friends, who I have known all my life, rather than make friends by simple virtue of working in the same place as someone.

You only end up talking about bloody work, how boring is that?

You may have missed out on some great friends! Two of my closest friends are ex-colleagues. Work may be the main topic when you meet people initially but, as you get to know someone, it soon becomes just a small percentage of chat.

Good friends can be made at any time in your life, not just from school, and work is a good common ground. It sounds to me like the OP is working with people who prefer to keep themselves to themselves, which is often a reflection on the workplace atmosphere generally.

Personally, I prefer to get along with colleagues and feel comfortable chatting about every day things. Looking back, I think that a stifled work atmosphere has been a reason I have not been happy in some of my past jobs.