So, can a manager make department rules? If you have to type all day every day on a 14 inch laptop, youll have medical issues soon enough. Ten minutes? Not just a non-perk when you have accommodations. Im sympathetic, but the manager could deal more constructively with his/her anxiety. He probably thought it was okay to wear them for the rest of the day until he could go out and get a pair of earbuds; thats what I would have done. Will you tell me more about your headphones? I think that DCer might have wanted this comment to sound reassuring, but I guess I find this idea of a universal code where if you dont provide details then it must be about your reproductive organs to be a bit unsettling and the opposite of reassuring? If the wearing of headsets or listening to music was preventing an employee from satisfying this duty, then it would be reasonable to request that the employee not wear the headset or listen to music while working. Making the break involves so much more not to mention completely re-wiring a learned behavior. You have two completely separate problems here. Only if you managed to retain the employee. I think it is the visual of headphones, they are more obvious and some people see them as sending out a do not disturb vibe. Ugh, yes it can be so hard to wear headphones when you also wear glasses. Telling me I had to use earbuds would be functionally the same as telling me I couldnt block out distracting noise, and my productivity would drop. I think if the company knew they couldnt get back to them in a couple of days, which is the expected timeline for most people I think, then they could have let them know that there was a delay. I do get the last word, and sometimes Ill override a decision a team member has made based on information I had which they didnt have when they made the call, of course. As managers were able to make tweaks to rules and limit them if necessary for our departments but you still have to be respectful of the fact that if every other department can use a device like headphones, making it a nope in your department will come with this kind of reaction. My issue with DCers comment is that its strongly reinforcing LWs worry and essentially telling them Yep, if you dont provide any details your manager will immediately jump to assuming its about your uterus. Which Im pretty sure is exactly what the LW does not want to hear! Its on you to explain that the shape of your ear canal precludes you from using earphones though. I often say that if Im the smartest, most knowledgeable person in the room who has all the answers to everything, Ive done a terrible job of hiring my team. perceived both these types of headphones as making the person not approachable. Headphones are more visible and therefore more off-putting? It can take a long, long time to get back to where you were before being interrupted. There are plenty of ways to show that youre friendly and approachable while wearing giant earmuff headphones and there are plenty of ways to be standoffish without any sound equipment at all! In additionearbuds are uncomfortable as heck for a lot of people (me included) and over-the-ear headphones are typically far, far better for your ears and hearing. Thats how you get angry, frustrated, disengaged team members. Intern after that wore those bluetooth earbuds in his ears all the time, including while walking around the office. The pattern that I expect is something more like expecting and sometimes supporting highly autocratic behavior on the part of managers Boss is Boss and you better obey Boss instantly without any backtalk because Boss will have you out on your ear if you give them any sass but basically yeah. Im in a small department with a couple offices and a few cubes all open doors unless someone is on a phone call, and this has created a speaking across offices environment. Your comments today are very uncharitable. People pop open their sample tubes so loudly. From the title I thought this was going to be about wanting to intervene. Be thankful for the graces youve been given in life and dont attack those who are already down. Thats not a normal reaction. they both present the same exact problem. OSHA's standard for Occupational Noise Exposure in construction, 29 CFR 1926.52, sets permissible noise exposure limits in Table D-2 and requires the employer to protect employees subject to sound levels exceeding these limits. Folks are very focused on but some people need them. Thats true, but most people dont. So not a medical issue. That doesnt work as well with earbuds hidden by my hair). I do not assume it includes the reproductive system. I use them if I need to listen to a voicemail message or a video for work, and then I just leave them on until I remember that I can take them off. In fact, I now have the ok from my manager to wear them for exactly this purpose (including as a signal to her to not interrupt me) on days where I cant simply work from home. Thats unreasonable and bordering on tyrant levels. This Employee Cell Phone Policy is ready to be tailored to your company's needs and should beconsidered a starting point for setting up your employment policies. Are you saying there shouldnt be any consequences for an employee that disregards a direct instruction minutes after its given? If you dont really have an actual, objective business problem being created by the headphones, leave it alone and let people do their work. My theory is that I can still listen to music/podcasts which help me tune out background noise, but let me hear enough that Im aware when the phone rings or someone calls my name. Removing the over the ear headphones requires reaching up, lifting then off and setting them down, or lifting them off and draping around your neck. Im a QA for a mobile multimedia app, for instance, and so sometimes it is literally part of my job to be listening to the audio output from a device. Oooooh I know I shouldnt pick up on spelling, but the idea of hiring a Dead employee would unnerve me too! I wear a hearing aid, so I can not use earbuds. Every letter posted here is one side of a story and we all have to deal with the fact that were not going to get more information. With regards to #4, I have been in the position of knowing people who have gotten Dr. notes and they are extremely, purposefully vague, along the lines of: So and so had an appointment at my office, on Date/Time, she/he is cleared for return to work So no need to worry about your Dr. outing you. I was speaking to the tons of people in this comment section acting like noise in an office is a brand new phenomena and there is clearly no way to get work done without headphones. Yes exactly. Requiring me to use earbuds would mean that I need to remove my hearing aid. I want to make sure were on the same page here!. (I can also generally hear a little bit of whats going on outside of my music or podcast, and thankfully, the human brain is excellent at listening for its own name!). n;H, If both parties actually discussed the issue there would likely have been a better outcome. The headphones question in general (ignoring the weird earbud/headphone distinction) is a real choose-your-battles issue. I would want to stop this running to HR over silly stuff real quick. 1) Have you put them into a noisy open environement but they still need to focus? (Exercises, sure. A good example: texting and driving. I expected them to want no listening devices, but imposing one form over another seemscapricious. Open offices are the most evil pits of hell. That. These things take time and a lot of courage, usually multiple attempts. If Im being treated differently because of the shape of my ear canal, Im not really gonna see the person doing so as reasonable. Instead, we promise a fun weeklyroundup of our latest blog posts and greatfinds from across the web. No blue clothes? Employers will be liable for a violation of the general duty clause if headphones-wearing employees are exposed to the hazards outlined in the letter. Browse Hearing PPE signs and labels at ComplianceSigns.com. Without music it does not completely eliminate all sound but it blocks most ambient noise and it greatly reduces my anxiety/distraction. I try to be responsive so I take my headphones off if it even seems like someone is coming to speak to me. That being said I think the employee is completely in the wrong about going to HR about earbuds. I worked Help Desk for 3 years People asked for help by calling in or sending an email. Working in public health care, two weeks sounds crazy fast to me hah! Team: W! But I love mine and they have helped me a lot. Thats why more and more employers are choosing to implement an open ears policy at work. In my experience, the biggest noise offenders are the higher ups who have offices, who keep their door open and have conference calls on speaker, yell at loud pitches, bring in their dogs and their relatives to make noise, etc. I mean, I hate open offices as much as the next person, but this is a bit of a silly response. Like wow, what other arbitrary bs rules are you going to start implementing cause ~you just dont like it~. I would argue that in most workplaces the number of people that have duties that require them to be immediately available for walk-ups is considerably fewer than those that do not. Offices are not natural in any way whatsoever, and its ableist and infantalizing to call my ability to cover my ears is a perk. Cheerleader: Gimme an H! Software development in particular often involves holding a ton of information in the brain all at once. This process is automatic. I also have ADHD and have a very hard time focusing because of this. Cheerleader: Gimme a W! Headphones over my hearing aids is the only thing I can do when I want to block out outside noises and concentrate. Seconded theres probably more going on here than we are being made aware of. Do you love office talk as much as we do? If I wasnt allowed to wear headphones, everyone else in the office would also be listening to a man with a monotone voice explaining how to set up a new enquiry feature on our case management software, or watching a step by step guide on how to set up your workspace (this was in my first week, obviously Im not doing that every day). 9 0 obj I was not speaking to accommodations but I would have hoped that would be assumed so that people dont have to make caveats for every opinion presented in a comment section. And if the outcome wasnt better, then that indicates there is a lack of trust in the professional relationship and that is the bigger issue than whether one wears headphones or earbuds. OP needs to BUTT OUT. As an employee, I would assume my boss meant ASAP unless otherwise stated. This is the workplace/HR equivalent of a frivolous lawsuit. Most places Ive been that had a ticket system *also* utilized some level of phone support. But leave her personal life alone. I agree. Its gotten better but most of my IT needs are because my computer is in such bad shape that I cant even use the online ticket systemforcing me to see IT in person. HR is always the right place to go for this kind of issue.. And, if i am on such a call i think it is rude to just hover around me waiting to finish the call. Managers are obligated to manage themselves first in order to manage others well. how do I avoid mom energy with my younger employees? Employee Cell Phone Policy. Its reeks of petty power trip honestly. Theres no company anything about it. Appearance? In my case, because I have also always had back issues, I said I was doing PT for my back. Look for soundtracks, jazz, or classical music for tasks that require thought and consideration. #4 If I were told Its a private medical issue and I dont wish to discuss it, I would absolutely not jump immediately to the conclusion that it was pelvic floor therapy. But the rule involved the employee needing to have something they did not have on them at the time; earbuds. If I were one her employees Id be pretty irritated too. -Neurological conditions such as autism and ADHD were developed based on boys, and that stereotype persists, even in the medical community. This article has been updated from its original publication date of August 25, 2017. Just not I feel awkward; it must be Bobs fault, better make him use earbuds as shes doing now. Ive worked in positions that do not lend well to headphones. Different people have different work, different work requirements, and different work styles. Most people would say Oh sorry, I didnt realize you meant for this change right away. Its actively awful. Provide key information, such as when it is or isnt appropriate to wear headphones, whether it matters if people choose headphones or earbuds, and advice for how to best utilize headphones for deep, focused work. Its productive for some people to work with noise. Should I let a company know that Im declining their offer because of how long they took to get it to me. Customer service is about immediately responding. Say my name. Look through the comments. Id love noise-canceling headphones so I dont have to destroy my hearing but I cant tolerate the headaches headphones cause. I would not have thought oh hey my manager wants me to switch over to earbuds that must take effect right this second and not tomorrow after Ive had a chance to buy a pair of earbuds.. I agree that you cant stop people from speculating, but if youre breezy about it and maybe add a topic change to something work-related, they wont have enough details, and will assume its something uninteresting and not worth their speculation. I agree with Alisons comment that if these are help-desk type roles where you expect/encourage a lot of walk-up traffic and are trying to create an approachable vibe, thats one thing but if these are IT staff with broad responsibilities or the help desk has a phone/ticket system/catch-all inbox and some people just prefer to approach in person, then I dont think in a healthy office environment that the need to look approachable to that limited group of people who have a personal preference for walking up to the desk should trump the benefit to staff of using the headphone style most comfortable/preferred by them to reduce distractions and increase their productivity. I found that people think twice about stopping by just to chat when people have their headphones on. It seems to me that OP simply doesnt like the look of headphones, because the feeling awkward, waiting for him to remove them doesnt make sense. What you seemed to be saying is that you find it hard to believe that anyone would need to wear headphones because you yourself work as an admin, and noise isnt a new phenomenon. Presumably, there would be a period of acknowledgement required before responding if the techies were interrupted while wearing earbuds. It wasnt customer facing, I didnt have a team to communicate with, and didnt have to be on the phone. If I have to take my hearing aids out to use earbuds, not only do I have to worry about losing the (VERY expensive) little devils, but when someone wants to talk to me, I would have to not only remove the earbuds but put at least one of my hearing aids in before I can converse. OP #2: you dont have any way of knowing whether it was her or her abuser who broke the no-contact order. Ear buds versus headphones really? I think plenty of people have been chiming in saying they wouldnt jump to this conclusion if their employee declined to provide details or used a brush off when asked further (also agreed with you that managers shouldnt ask for detail, but some do out of concern/politeness). Last summer I had an intern who wore giant (think dj at a turntable) headphones all the time after specifically being told not to. I wish that worked in my office. If you need more assistance or theres a burden now placed on the department, thats always a company issue not an employee issue. If anything its only to make it *worse*, cause it wont be as obvious that theyre wearing them. theyre also worse for your hearing, in the long run. I think you would be hard pressed to find a manager who doesnt feel that way. At best, theyre an ADA accommodation, otherwise, theyre simply a tool people can use to focus on their work and avoid disturbing those around them. actually there are noise cancelling earbuds. Its against the grain in our office culture (academia). Come to find out, the boss sat on the opposite side of the building, hardly ever saw me in person, and received all his information on my day-to-day work from a PM who sat next to me. That said, larger headphones can be expensive, and they are tough to take from place to place. #2, please please please do not do anything, especially anything that could jeopardize her FMLA. I think the letter writer is hoping for exactly the opposite of this. Request a Business account here. If you choose to purchase earbuds, try to make sure they are noticeable, or consider adding a sign to your office door, computer, or workspace to let people know you are wearing headphones. I really, really dont. No two businesses are exactly the same, so it is important for any business owner or manager to assess their own unique situation. That's my bit. This is a really important point! I think this a problem generally in corporate America today: We see the boss as the person who has to have all the answers and make all the decisions, and their team members as the worker bees who get told what to do. TL/dr: Youre not going to change DV victims behavior; telling on her will not accomplish OPs desired result. My ear is always on the verge of being itchy and flaky/crusty and I have gotten infections before from my itching it too much. I think a lot of us are confused about it. I get it that its frustrating for those on the outside to watch. So Im very appreciative of having a little music to offset all that booming going on. Its what Ive okd for my team. Colleagues used to walk up to my desk and if I was concentrating and I didnt see them, I wouldnt know they were there. Itsnot hard. I dont think that I would immediately jump to Oh it must be a female-anatomy related issue if someone didnt want to get into the details of their medical care with me. Then you suck it up for a few hours. It was a manager instituting a rule for their group that is within their purview. can we talk about GOOD companies for a change? Theres a difference between having a job where headphones/earbuds are not allowed and when you have this option taken away simply on a whim of a manager who decides that despite a company in general being headphones are fine barring you being in a role where they impede your ability to do your job, its unacceptable to start yanking them away from people. If I werent allowed to wear the earbuds, Id have to work harder to block out the ambient noise, which would make me LESS responsive to people trying to get my attention. Music should aid your productivity, not serve as another distraction. Basically, they take the back door into my cube, and just STAND there. If your job is more independent, is in a large open space, etc, then I can see the uses for it, but otherwise I find it kind of ridiculous. And especially with the fact that the employees response was to argue about company policy (???) Sometimes, MommyMD, you genuinely have valuable insight, but you often deliver it so unpleasantly. I never got anywhere near mentioning female anatomy. These applications help to submit . Sure, such a scenario might exist. Signs, Labels, Tags and Safety Products, Open Ears: Reducing the Threat of Earbuds in the Workplace. Even the ones that come with small sizing are often too big, and wearing them makes my ears hurt after a half hour or so. She is the boss. Many, many, many people work front desks/receptions areas or other positions where people need to be able to walk up to them at a moments notice and they are not allowed headphones for obvious reasons but must still produce reports, work on projects, onboard staff, conduct audits, enter leave, etc. We dont know exactly what words were exchanged, we got a very high-level summary of the gist of what happened from one persons point of view. She had a business justification, which is IT support needs to appear approachable. Good lord, this makes me think of the dumb reason that it looks professional to have employees in certain jobs STAND for hours on end, and not sit down. Rolleyes. IF there seems to be some discrimination or some unfair treatment, then bring in HR, but until that conversation has been had, she has no idea what is up. People are different from each other and have different needs and abilities. Now I have a wildly different position and I need to focus. ), OP#4: Hands up here as another member of the needing regular physical therapy for pelvic floor issues club. Particularly, if there wasnt a conversation about it. Being unnerved by headphones but fine with earbuds seems a very specific unnerving. For a rough analogy, imagine that you were trying to write a twenty-page English paper comparing the themes of six different books, and just when you have your books open to the citations you want to reference, and youre figuring out how to state this elegant thesis someone comes up behind you and starts asking about math homework. It was the manager asking the employee why they werent complying with the rule that they had just spoken about. Same here I cannot wear earbuds for more than 5 minutes without significant pain due to my apparently smaller than average ear holes. Now I need to ask HR what I need to do to get accommodation. Seems like a truly bizarre thing to need to get a Drs note and ask for an accommodation for (though my ear issues are medically documented already, so I guess I could). yes, as an IT employee, the real issue is why are there so many people coming to the desk when things like IM and ticketing exist. And the other is that you dont have enough staff to get all of your work done. OP doesnt mention that shes heard any complaints, so its a power play over nothing, essentially. I believe I understand your point about headphones being a productivity tool, but for some positions its not an option and those people still get work done, so sorry, it seems to me like if youre allowed to use a productivity tool that others arent (minus if that reason is for an accommodation), then it is indeed a perk. At least headphones or earbuds can provide background noise to drown it all out or at least give the brain something else to focus on, like music, and I see no reason unless you are an in person customer facing employee (like at the DMV) that you shouldnt be able to use this method to cope. Ok, I admit that Im the Queen of weird injuries. Frankly, if someone uses a brush off dont want to talk about it sort of thing if I inquire if everything is alright, digestive issues are the very FIRST place my mind goes. Do you have to listen to music in order for the noise cancelling to kick in? But when I do, Im as transparent as I can be about the why so the team member can learn, because part of exercising good judgment is learning to know when you need to ask for additional information. They help others see that youre busy and prevent communication confusion. 1- Mobile phones not allowed in workplace notice To: Staff Subject: Use of mobile phones in the workplace It has been observed that several employees are spending too much office time on mobile phones. Thats why they have rules for which companies are required to accommodate the leave, you have more than 50 employees so you should be able to figure out coverage issues. 2023 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls is May 1-5, Pinch Point Tips: How to Identify Pinch Points and Protect Workers from Injury, The Risk of Chemical Burns in the Workplace, What Every Business Should Know About Braille Signs, April is Distracted Driving Month These Resources Will Help Protect Your Employees and Your Business, ComplianceSigns, LLC, 2005-2023. Ahhh, I actually meant worse for your ears [in the long run] when I typed that. My noise cancelling headphones are life savers. Its reasonable that someone who would struggle to be productive in a noisy environment refer to headphones as a need, even if it isnt due to a disability or completely impossible. Most workers (and certainly most skilled workers) wouldnt care for that approach. Its a tool. I think the point was more the new item you need is not here immediately especially because its not about listening devices, its about which specific listening device they should use. For example, , Best Noise-Canceling Headphones for Offices, Noise-Canceling Headphones With Microphone for Offices, Noise-Canceling Earbuds With Microphone for Offices, Do you love office talk as much as we do? The manager should have, from the get-go, explained why OP was being asked to do this. Can you ask the marketing guys to tone down the GOT off-topic chatter or let me wear them for the couple of hours a day when they tend to go full-throttle? Or even Can we find a way to signal approachability that still allows me to block out background noise?. It got annoying, for both of us, having me ask him to repeat himself. Within that role I was able to work without headphones because the functions of my job required different kinds of focus. LW 1 Id be pretty upset if I was told I couldnt wear headphones at work (particularity when on deadline). While tuning in can be great in a lot of ways, it can also be dangerous. This leads to turnover and workplace drama over a ridiculous powerplay. Talk about making employees so miserable they want to leave.
