Many Questions About a Poor Office Environment?

Question by Just Interested: Many Questions About a Poor Office Environment?
I work in advertising and our floor is an “open atmosphere” that has been promoted as an environment that increases communication. However, since a recent merger that has changed the makeup of those within the office, the open environment seems to be cultivating an environment social interaction.

I am a supervisor and my seat within this environment is next to another supervisor on this floor. This supervisor has a bit of a different work ethic than I and places more emphasis on being the social butterfly of the group as opposed to a professional leader whom is respected by his coworkers for his knowledge of the business.

Often throughout the day, this coworker will spend up to 30 mins talking away on his cell phone to his friends overseas or carrying on with conversations with other coworkers. Over the past 5 months, I have complained to our management that I do not like sitting in this environment (specifically next to this social supervisor) and asked to be moved to an environment that is more like the environment I had agreed to work in prior to the merger. Recently after asking my management to discuss this issue, it was suggested that while waiting for a response, I simply check out a laptop from IT and work in a quieter area of the office. When the head of my group heard that I had done just this, I was told “that it was unacceptable and to return to my assigned seat”.

This flagrant act of alternative dispute resolution lead me to contact HR. HR took the situation seriously, but stated that HR was not aware of any other complaints (despite the fact that there are a few others that have expressed a disappointment in the change of environment). Not really having an argument to dispute the fact that HR had no other complaints, I questioned the tone and the approach that management had taken up to this time, as an example that the lack of professionalism is in fact missing from our group and accepted.

To make a long story short – I am considering just resigning my position as I clearly see no future now that the merger has taken place. However, the group my group sits on 2 separate floors, the second of which I have experienced as being perfectly tolerable. I DO see a future by simply sitting on this quieter floor.

Am I really at the mercy of a terrible work environment such as this? Am I really at the mercy of management that does not wish to work with their employees and ensure that serious and (not to brag) but competent employees are happy with their work environment?

I hate to be one to “abuse” the system but are changes in environment due to a merger, grounds for a compensated resignation? By the state?

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you!

Best answer:

Answer by Linda R
Look for another job.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!