Any work team, social group or family is made up of diverse personalities and work styles. Each group establishes norms, patterns of communicating, and sometimes a “work around” for the team members that don’t fit the typical profile. Following a training session last week, a team member approached me and asked how to tell the difference between individual preferences, and behaviors that actually become problematic in the workplace. It is a great question.
When does “quirky” become problematic in your workplace?
The employee who continually interrupts conversations with random, unrelated information – quirky or problematic?
The staff member who uses coconut hand lotion and listens to “Sounds of the Rainforest” in her cube to remember her trip to Costa Rica – quirky or problematic?
The Receptionist who is too attached to her football team (Go Pack!). No one wants to talk to her on a Monday morning after her team loses – quirky or problematic?
The employee who sing’s someone’s name if it is in a famous song (Runaround Sue, Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown, and might I mention the Kelly, Kelly, Kelly song from Cheers) – quirky or problematic?
These actions are not illegal. They probably don’t violate any policy. They are quirky, and most likely, annoying. If the behavior is negatively impacts productivity and the work environment, it may be time for a conversation. If it doesn’t, perhaps we just need to embrace the “quirky” in each of us.
The employee who continually interrupts conversations with random, unrelated information – quirky or problematic?
The staff member who uses coconut hand lotion and listens to “Sounds of the Rainforest” in her cube to remember her trip to Costa Rica – quirky or problematic?
The Receptionist who is too attached to her football team (Go Pack!). No one wants to talk to her on a Monday morning after her team loses – quirky or problematic?
The employee who sing’s someone’s name if it is in a famous song (Runaround Sue, Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown, and might I mention the Kelly, Kelly, Kelly song from Cheers) – quirky or problematic?
These actions are not illegal. They probably don’t violate any policy. They are quirky, and most likely, annoying. If the behavior is negatively impacts productivity and the work environment, it may be time for a conversation. If it doesn’t, perhaps we just need to embrace the “quirky” in each of us.