10 worst workplace habits revealed in new office charter

As people returned to work in 2021, same unpleasant office routines resurfaced, and the usual workplace conflicts resurfaced.

Furniture At Work, a B2B furniture shopping site, has revealed its own workplace charter, which was voted on by office workers and aims to finally abolish those irritating habits that we’ve all been dreading returning when offices reopened throughout the UK.

Stealing other people’s food from the fridge is the most bothersome office behavior, followed by individuals who chose to stink up the office by microwaving stinky food and those who have loud phone calls at their desk, all of which many office workers have been able to avoid when working from home.

Furniture at Work is asking employers and employees to distribute the ‘Office Charter,’ which identifies ten of the most bothersome habits, and to add their own personal suggestions for the worst office habits.

The top ten worst office habits that made the charter are:

1.     Stealing people’s food from the fridge

2.     Microwaving smelly food

3.     Having loud phone calls at your desk

4.     Chewing loud food at your desk

5.     Encroaching onto your ‘desk neighbour’s’ desk

6.     Listening to loud music

7.     Opening windows/turning on the air con without asking

8.     Loud typing

9.     Tapping feet or hands constantly

10.  Taking your shoes off at your desk

A spokesperson from Furniture at Work commented on the office charter:

“With offices around the country beginning to spark back to life over the last few months, we wanted to do something to help make workplaces around the country a better place! We’re used to providing the office furniture that helps keep employees comfortable, but we’ve decided to take it a step further and create an office charter that aims to finally banish those awful workplace habits!

“Who else remembers the waft of someone’s smelly feet coming across their workstation? Or the freezing breeze of an open window in December hitting you? Well, we’re determined to help get rid of those habits forever and help to make the office a more comfortable place.”