These annoying office habits are making people work from home

Office culture isn’t what it used to be. 

Gone are the days of being expected to wear an uncomfortable suit and tie. Organisational culture is much more relaxed, with casual dress codes and a bigger focus on work-life balance and flexible working.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s become frustration-free. While bad-smelling lunches and noisy keyboard clacking used to be the bane of the office worker’s existence, the rise of hybrid models has introduced an entirely new set of bugbears.

From hogging space and equipment to never-ending notification pings, here are some of the most irritating office habits that quietly drive everyone mad.

1. Coffee badging

“Coffee badging”  refers to employees who show up to the office just long enough to take advantage of company benefits (e.g. free coffee), only to leave again. This can leave other employees wondering why they bothered to show up in the first place, while also feeling that they’re taking on more of the collaborative workload.

That being said, coffee badging has also been reported as a way for employees to rebel against return to office (RTO) policies. Most notably, following Amazon’s strict RTO rules, workers have been bypassing this by visiting the office and scanning their IDs, but only staying long enough to have coffee, before returning home.

2. Desk hogging and personal space invading

This is when someone occupies more space than they need at a shared workspace, such as taking over an entire desk or spreading their belongings across multiple desks. This can lead to frustration among colleagues, as they see this as entitled or inconsiderate.

Similarly, intruding on a colleague’s space – whether that be leaning on a chair, standing too close or taking calls right next to them – can also be intrusive as it could make them feel uncomfortable or unable to concentrate on their work.

3. Loud calls in open spaces

The beauty of hybrid working is that even if not everyone is in the office, you can still hold relevant meetings through platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

However, the problem is that meeting rooms can get booked up quickly, so employees are sometimes left to take these calls in the office. This inevitably leads to disruption, with 47% of employees reporting that they find it difficult to stay productive at work when colleagues are taking calls at their desks without headphones.

4. Charging point greed

Laptop battery life isn’t always the best, so having enough charging points is a must, especially during long workdays. However, with so many of these devices needing constant power, they might sometimes come up short.

Regardless, hogging the only available charging point – or straight up unplugging a colleague’s device without permission – is a major social slip. It’s the kind of move that can instantly annoy coworkers and spark some serious passive-aggressive tension.

5. The “silent but present” colleague

Office noise can be a serious problem, particularly as a third of workers report that disproportionate noise has hindered their productivity.

Noise-cancelling headphones or listening to music on earphones can help tackle this, with 24% of adults who work or study saying this helps them get into “work mode”. 40% also say that they work harder and get better results when listening to music.

However, constantly tuning out with headphones can become isolating and make it harder to interact, engage and collaborate with colleagues effectively. 

6. Gym bag bombs

The UK is becoming more health-conscious, which includes getting a good amount of exercise, with a study revealing that 38% of people completed a morning workout before going to work.

But while this is good for health, it can also leave the smell of a “gym bag bomb”. Bringing a post-workout gym bag into the office and letting the smell of sweaty clothes and damp trainers take over the room can quickly become distracting. Before long, the whole office is subtly side-eying the culprit or cracking windows to get rid of the smell.

Is hybrid working destroying office decorum?

According to Startups Magazine, 21% of employees choose to work from home to avoid annoying colleagues. It also reported that more than half of hybrid employees (53%) tend to socialise less compared to full-time office workers (28%) and fully-remote employees (37%).

And while hybrid working has become a strong preference for businesses and employees alike, it has also presented a whole new set of annoying workplace habits, according to Zipcupe’s office expert, Guillaume Santacruz.

“The office used to have a predictable rhythm – fixed desks, clear etiquette, and shared expectations,” Santacruz commented. “Now, with hybrid work models and open spaces, we’re seeing a shift in what’s considered inconsiderate. The habits that used to be minor irritations are evolving into full-blown workplace grievances.”

Yet despite these issues, hybrid working continues to be the preferred choice for many employees. 85% of remote workers said they want a hybrid model, with 78% of hybrid workers reporting a better work-life balance, while 47% noted improved wellbeing.

How can businesses address this?

While these new annoyances may stem from the rise in hybrid working, that doesn’t mean they’re completely unavoidable as there are plenty of ways to keep things running smoothly and make the work environment more tolerable for everyone. Businesses can achieve this by:

• Setting clear office etiquette guidelines: create a simple, friendly policy outlining the do’s and don’ts (e.g. no strong-smelling food, being mindful of noise and proper desk sharing etiquette).
• Encouraging open communication: businesses should foster a culture where employees feel comfortable addressing minor annoyances respectfully.
• Providing the right facilities: this includes offering enough charging points to prevent “outlet wards”, creating quiet zones for focused collaboration and ensuring proper ventilation and cleaning to combat any unwanted smells.
• Giving friendly reminders: these can be posted in shared spaces like kitchens and meeting rooms to remind employees of what’s acceptable, and what’s not. A lighthearted email can also reinforce office etiquette without being too harsh or demanding.

“A well-designed workspace can encourage positive interactions, but ultimately, it’s about mutual respect,” Santacruz adds. “A little courtesy – whether it’s using a meeting room for calls or simply being present – can go a long way in making office life enjoyable for everyone.”