Getting too comfortable in the workplace

In the past, I had this co-worker who constantly updated the team about the status of his hemorrhoids i.e. the uncomfortable feeling of having one, his impending operation, etc. It was so annoying. And what do we care about his hemorrhoids, anyway. On top of that, he had this habit of making long personal calls during business hours. His voice was loud and crisp and so every time he talked with someone on the phone, all the juicy details of their conversation resonated in the office. Everybody was updated on his personal life. We grew tired of his antics and eventually, we reported him to HR.

Now, there is another pesky co-worker of mine who is in the same category as the “H” guy. But this time, it’s not about hemorrhoids but her frequent trips to the loo. She has this habit of announcing to her team that she needs to take a dump. She becomes fidgety and more chatty than the usual when she’s about to go. I find her announcement unnecessary and very inappropriate.

What is wrong with these people?

There are certain actions that don’t belong in the corporate such as the examples I cited earlier. Sharing too much personal information not only embarrasses oneself but also one's co-workers. Office etiquette and proper work ethic is like an unspoken agreement in the workplace. It escapes me why they are not aware of such rules.

Here’s an excerpt from an MSNBC article that tackles sticky situations at work:

2. An employee shares too much personal information with co-workers.

This is the employee who talks in excruciating detail about his impending divorce, recent doctor's visit or latest romantic relationship. There's no topic that's off limits — and for co-workers, there's nowhere to hide.

Tim Young, founder and CEO of multimillion-dollar software firm Socialcast, has dealt with "TMI" employees at the company's Irvine, Calif., headquarters. He takes these employees to lunch and brings up the topic. Says Young, 27, "You can coach them on reducing the amount of information they're providing to [other] employees and refocus them back on the company."

The office is a place of work. That's common sense. It’s not an extension of one’s home and co-workers are not psychologists nor family members with whom one can freely discuss personal matters and bodily functions at that.