Would this be considered rude?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Diamond93
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

Diamond93

Guest
I work as a front desk receptionist. A lot of times, people will come up to me at the front desk, and then my coworkers or managers will stop to chit chat with these people right at my desk. They’ll be jabbering nonstop about all sorts of stuff that doesn’t concern me and I hate having to listen to their stupid, inane conversations given that I’m stuck working here at the front desk. It drives me nuts, and I just want to tell them to take these people back into their offices if they want to talk each other’s ears off there anyway from me so I’m not forced to listen to their dumb small talk. Would it be considered rude if I were to ask them to talk away from my desk so that I don’t have to listen to them jabber all day? It distracts me from the work I am trying to do, and it annoys me to have to listen to their small talk that doesn’t concern me or my duties here at work. What can I do here?
 
Last edited:
Diamond93 said:
It distracts me from the work I am trying to do, and it annoys me to have to listen to their small talk that doesn’t concern me or my duties here at work. What ca
Click to expand...
I would stick with “it disrupts me with my work” in front of managers.
No, it’s not rude, but you have to be like honey to get honey, imho, in most office environments.
 
I would suggest discussing this issue with your supervisor at work.

Keeping in mind the fact that receptionists are generally expected to work in lobbies that can get noisy with people coming and going and conversing, and be pleasant to people at all times, I would also gently suggest maybe you would want to seek a job with a more quiet working environment or less dealing with people.
 
Last edited:
Tis_Bearself said:
I would suggest discussing this issue with your supervisor at work.

Keeping in mind the fact that receptionists are generally expected to work in lobbies that can get noisy with people coming and going and conversing, and be pleasant to people at all times, I would also gently suggest maybe you would want to seek a job with a more quiet working environment or less dealing with people.
Click to expand...
I don’t work in a lobby, I work in the management office. So it’s not an open lobby-type environment. And yes I agree with you on seeking a more introverted job given that I am really introverted, but as for now this is what I’m doing until I can find a more solitary job.
 
As others have said, you should probably discuss this with your supervisor.

I don’t know the particular nature of your job but you said that people would come up to your desk and then get interrupted by additional parties. I would imagine some of those persons were just greeting you on their way in or out but that others had business matters that led to them approaching you. In any case, you could certainly say to those persons, “Mrs. Lopez, I have a report to get to Mr. Smith. Do you need anything else from me right now?” Hopefully that would clue at least some of them to finish their time with you and/or move out of your space.
 
Diamond93 said:
What can I do here?
Click to expand...
Get a little sign that says “Quite Please” and put it on your desk facing the direction where people are talking.

If the sign doesn’t work on its own, politely say “Excuse me”, or clear your throat, and point to the sign to make sure they’ve seen it.
 
Obviously I would never say it in exactly those words…thought that would go without saying.

But anyways, I mentioned it to my boss earlier and asked if she could please not have these long conversations at my desk as they distracted me from my work, and she said that she understood. Hopefully that’ll solve it.
 
Maybe you could bring your concern to the office manager, and then he or she could work on policy related to conversations in the reception area. I can see where this would be annoying to you.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top