18 December 2015
Time to escape the most annoying people at work
When offices close for the festive season this year, Kiwi workers will be looking forward to a break from dominators,
untidy people, megaphones, lingerers and intruders.
They are the most annoying types of people at work according to a newly released survey from Colmar Brunton.
Dominators – those people who talk over others – were rated as the most annoying workmates this year with 36% of those
surveyed including them in their top three. Women (42%) and those in the 30-49 year age group (46%) most disliked being
talked over.
Colmar Brunton Account Manager Jessica Balbas says the types of people identified in the survey reflect a number or
traits common to offices and other workplaces throughout the country.
“Every workplace has these types of people, but what the survey shows is that while we are quick to recognise faults and
annoying habits among our workmates, we may be lacking a little bit of self awareness or honesty about our own
behaviours.”
The 1000 Kiwis surveyed were asked what the most annoying types of people at work are and which of the types best
describes themselves.
In the most annoying stakes, people who leave their desk or common areas untidy (26%), megaphones (loud talkers who have
exaggerated conversations), people who hang around and talk even though you have work to do and intruders (people who
butt into conversations) rounded out the five most annoying types.
Others to get up the noses of their fellow workers include the black hole (someone who doesn’t respond to emails), the
photocopier bandit (someone who leaves the photocopier jammed and the wanderer (someone who wanders around aimlessly).
But when it came to looking in the mirror, the greatest number described themselves as pen clickers (20%). A total of
14% identified themselves as backseat workers (someone who answers questions intended for someone else), 12% said they
are untidy (slightly more men than women) or lingerers, while 10% fessed up to being intruders.
However just 5% admitted to fitting the dominator persona, 4% described themselves as megaphones and a mere 3% said they
leave the photocopier jammed.
“Everybody will be able to relate to these types of people in the workplace but the test is whether they take an honest
look at themselves. Then, whether they can change their own behavior when they return to work in the New Year for the
good of their fellow workers,” Ms Balbas says.
A representative sample of 1000 New Zealanders was surveyed and the survey has a maximum margin of error of + or – 3.1%.
The top 10 most annoying types of people at work The Dominator (someone who talks over others)36%The Untidy One (someone who leaves their desk or common areas untidy)26%The Megaphone (a loud talker who has exaggerated conversations)25%The Lingerer (someone who lingers to talk, even though you have work to do)25%The Intruder (someone who butts in to conversations)23%The Sniffer (a person who constantly sniffs)21%The Borrower (someone who borrows stuff without asking)20%The Black Hole (someone who doesn’t respond to emails)18%The Noisy Eater (a person who chews loudly while eating at his or her desk)16%The Wanderer (someone who wanders around aimlessly)14%
ENDS