Any shared workspace needs to be respected.

While having somebody annoying in your office isn’t quite the same as having a bad roommate, the same principles apply. When you work around other people, it is important to respect their personal space and their right to use the shared space as intended. That, and also to be relatively quiet and clean. Realistically, it shouldn’t be too much of a difficult ask.

The reality is that while it is good to be comfortable at work, we can’t treat it as if it is our home. There are going to be certain rules and standards to uphold so everybody can use the space in peace. Those who push those boundaries aren’t just liable to become unpopular in the office, but they may end up triggering some more serious consequences. We should all think before we assume that something is acceptable just because we have decided that it is.

It isn’t just the actual working area that needs to be respected, either. Nobody likes the person who insists on taking over the breakroom, whether that is through microwaving fish or insisting on indulgent, 2 hour lunches. We have to remember that it is a place for everybody.