A reader writes:
I’ve worked IT help desk for seven years in this position, and ten years in total. Recently my company has converted to open space offices. This has changed the dynamic in my office, and now people want me to drop everything at any time to help them whenever they walk to my desk. I’ve been getting followed into the bathroom every single day since the move. Yesterday I got stopped every single trip.
It isn’t just the bathroom. Every single day I get stopped when I have my coat on and am leaving. People even interrupt me when I have headphones on and am not making eye contact. If I’m on the phone, people will wave and stand over me until I interrupt my call.
You might think the answer is to tell them to submit a help ticket since that’s a common solution to this problem in IT, but my CEO is against ticket systems. My job is always some level of triage, and I track items with email. This has been manageable for the past seven years. And, having done this work most of my career, I understand that some level of disruption and disturbance is part of the job.
However, since the move to open space, it’s gotten way worse. I don’t know how to create new boundaries. I want people to come to me, but I want them to use their common sense and social skills, and to understand that just because it is easier for them to drop by, that doesn’t mean it is easier for me.
Furthermore, the constant interrupting has made me need to work late every night. I used to love my job and now I dread coming to work.
The complicating factor is that my job IS some level of presence and availability, just not this much, and not to the point where people can expect immediate gratification. I do want people to come to me immediately if their computer isn’t working or they can’t do their job. But I don’t want iPhone backup questions while I’m peeing. There’s gotta be a middle ground!
You can read my answer to this letter at New York Magazine today. Head over there to read it.
my coworkers follow me into the bathroom with work questions was originally published by Alison Green on Ask a Manager.
from Ask a Manager http://bit.ly/2QhP3cT
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