no headphones at work policy sample

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. Our workplace has specifically told management that they should never ask the details of a medical problem, except for how it impacts on work ability. Earbuds dont work for me either. It was the manager asking the employee why they werent complying with the rule that they had just spoken about. Who knows, she might have felt that in her car away from where the kids could hear would be the best solution. Look through the comments. Its awkward when someone approaches them for support and theres a brief waiting period for the employee to remove the headphones and acknowledge the person. 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. Only if you managed to retain the employee. Sometimes people need to remember they are at Work. Ensure you arent listening to anything so loudly that you arent able to hear emergency alarms. Putting on over the ear (OTE) headphones appears as though the wearer is deliberately shutting out the rest of the world, and was a common way to message eff off and leave me alone. So they can appear to some people as a minor but in your face gesture. Its hard for me to ask a higher up or a WAY higher up to be quiet. The headphones question in general (ignoring the weird earbud/headphone distinction) is a real choose-your-battles issue. I was performing well, was well-liked by end users and teammates and getting good marks on my performance reviews, when all of a sudden my boss started requesting status reports, pulling me into his office to ask what I was working on and such. If I went to HR in a circumstance like this one and my manager openly violated our non-retaliation policy in response, I would call the corporate ethics line and report the violation. Open-mouth lip-smacking gum-chewing in the lab where we work with E. coli bacteria and toxic-ass chemicals. MommyMD pretty frequently takes the least charitable interpretation of an employees behavior and comments accordingly. Most people will either say no its no problem to get my attention, thats what Im here for then you take it and go about your business. I have giant headphones that will fit over my hearing aids, and cant use earbuds. Just because someone is in it support or customer service, it doesnt mean always immediately immediately available, no exceptions. If you need more assistance or theres a burden now placed on the department, thats always a company issue not an employee issue. consider whether you need more IT staff so that a helpdesk is always open. And I have to say, I find it absolutely amazing that *a grown-ass adult* cant cope with waiting the 5 seconds it takes to remove them. 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. I had specially made silicone covers that confirm to my ear shape to go over the earbuds because over the ear headphones give me headaches. perceived both these types of headphones as making the person not approachable. And OP also expected instant compliance with the rule, as though one can simply change over-the-ear headphones into earbuds? We respond to dispatch calls and someone running up to an ambulance screaming that they have an emergency is going to be firmly told to call 911. I wouldnt have made that assumption. Its true that many many people work front desks, but probably most people dont? I found that people think twice about stopping by just to chat when people have their headphones on. 1) Have you put them into a noisy open environement but they still need to focus? I still had sensory challenges in that position but my duties demanded different parts of my brain so I had different needs. Im not going to be rude, but Im a professional adult doing my best to get my work done in an extremely unpleasant environment, not some bad little kid in school. There are robust methods of self-diagnosis, for instance I self-diagnosed in 2012 and obtained a formal diagnosis in 2018. Umdid you even read my post? Disconnect unused devices from the headphones. Sure, if she wants to. Do we have that flexibility? 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. But the defiance! If I said No headphones, I would expect the other person tonot wear headphones unless they addressed why they wouldnt or shouldnt follow through right away. OP should realize that not everything is a one size fits all situation. 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. I would want to stop this running to HR over silly stuff real quick. I had a spontaneous bleed in my middle finger. Yes, you can say no headphones. 8.7. I wonder how long ago the original letter was. When you dont need to get in the zone, keep the headphones off so that people can approach you or ask you a question if they need to. 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. : Small pet peeveAK is Alaska, not Arkansas. day., without fail, someone else is the throat clearer, someone else eats potato chips and youd swear there was a microphone near their mouth, someone else talks to loudly on the phone, ALL AT THE SAME TIMEand its nearly impossible to concentrate. My hubby works in the ticket support side of IT (raising a ticket by sending an email, rather than a separate system), and he needs to be interruptable by phone and in person as well as email since the majority of tickets actually involve people being unable to use the ticketing system or phone due to network/telephony issues. It should be totally normal to just not specify and be taken at ones word that its a medical thing but, you know, dont worry Im not dying. Even though their job is fixing stuff for people, it seems like a terrible approach to have them always switching to latest and loudest and never having a time where they can focus on figuring out fixes! If we consider every possible scenario, then were just spinning wheels to validate, justify one side vs. the other. I can concentrate without them, sure, but its not near as easy. And my option would then be earbuds or nothing which would be sensory hell for me and probably cause me to burn out and lose my job after a few months. employees who like to wear headphones, not earbuds, at their desks during business hours. I mean, I hate open offices as much as the next person, but this is a bit of a silly response. Never fear, you won't begin receiving daily sales emails that belong in a spam folder. People shouldnt be launching into requests as soon as they waltz up to a desk either you try to grab the persons attention first. Headphones would seem to be perfectly appropriate for that role. 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. Its entirely possible to say I think OP has unrealistic expectations for hiring timelines without calling them spoiled or entitled. Yeah dont get me wrong, thats how we use them in our open office: they literally mean, Im really trying to pretend were not in an open office, please dont interrupt me / pretend Im not here / just go away k thanx. For that reason, we prefer to use big bulky visible ones. Does he plan to buy earbuds and need a day? Youre there to do a job, and if you cant concentrate because Bob across the aisle cant be bothered to wear headphones while listening to music, its worse than two people standing directly behind you yapping away about every topic under the sun except work. I think that wearing headphones is better than earbuds because you often cant see if a person is wearing earbuds, with headphones I know right away they cant hear me. Curious why the employee didnt push back? IF your concern was that people dont know if it is ok to interrupt them, which I really dont think is your concern, have them post a note on the cubicle that says please wave to get my attention. Or have them put a mirror up so they can see when people are approaching. The lyrics provide an unstimulated mind with a slight escape. 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. Let her deal with it in whatever way she is dealing with it. And no, I would not remove my headphones/headset, WHICH by the way are also used for online meetings so there. In my experience, when Ive notified my manager I have PT, no further questions are asked. OP #2: you dont have any way of knowing whether it was her or her abuser who broke the no-contact order. 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! Eh, my husband has ADHD and earbuds help him focus on his work. But I realize some managers are nosier than mine. As more and more people choose to tune in while theyre working, the same problem that played out in Michigan becomes a very real issue. Arent you a doctor? These would all be within your authority to impose without warning, but who would want to work for you? Not in a rude way as in saying when you bother to show up can you shut up about your problem, but more in a I know you are dealing with a rough time but I need folks to be able to focus on work kinda way. 9 0 obj Headphones are not a perk. My desk faces my door and my computer monitor setup allows me to see when anyone walks by or enters my office. Presumably, there would be a period of acknowledgement required before responding if the techies were interrupted while wearing earbuds. Headphones shouldnt be worn while walking around the workplace, and they shouldnt be worn when using potentially dangerous equipment. )o~61_3U ~UW"_3U1_o"_3U1_TI&1_3M~o)-'M~o~8d~i| Which is pretty long. theres a brief waiting period for the employee to remove the headphones and acknowledge the person. Others have pointed out that they would have to remove an earbud, so still a delay. Jordan's passion for travel led her to design a career as a remote content marketer. exactly. Keep in mind that in an open office environment, noticeable headphones can be an asset. If possible, choose headphones over earbuds so your coworkers can clearly see that youre wearing headphones. It irritates me no end that my spouse has taken to wearing headphones, all day, every day, but could not articulate exactly why. tell the internal clients office hours are X-Y; otherwise use the ticketing system If you are going to make this silly rule, at least give your employees a few days to, you know, actually get new headphones. Granted that this has some to do with that Im definitely autistic and possibly also ADHD, but nonetheless I am a person who exists and has a job and a sort of person that one can reasonably expect to encounter in the work environment, particularly in my industry. He may have challenges that you cant see. I think the difference between headphones and earbuds is silly too. In addition to the other reasons people have listed below, any number of people in my office also use their earbuds/headphones with our videoconferencing and phone system. I work in a very small office and no HR. I worked Help Desk for 3 years People asked for help by calling in or sending an email. Thats the signal Im generally trying to send. Should an IT worker be a grown up and not answer their phone or attend meetings for the rest of the day because her manager has an aesthetic objection to headphones? It could definitely be a case of the employee needing time to concentrate on something specific, or time to go out and purchase earbuds We just dont know what the managers rationale for attempting to insist on earbuds is and I think most people would be annoyed to be confronted with a standard that smacks of being micromanaged. People are being forced into these awful open concept spaces, and coworkers are annoying; Someone is talking loud, some is eating, someones chair squeaks. I could understand a no listening devices policy, but not a only a certain type of listening devices policy. I saw the point up until, earbuds are ok. Nor will you be allowed to use/bring your own monitor & keyboard if you bought one as I did when I started. Not just a non-perk when you have accommodations. Agreed. Yeah, I read it the other way at first but upon rereading, I think youre right. % Thats how you get angry, frustrated, disengaged team members. and Labels No Soliciting Wash your hands Do not enter No Smoking No Parking Cell Phone / Texting Fire extinguisher Payment Policies. Differential treatment may be discrimination, or it may not, depending on the reason for it. Its obvious that they are going to push back hard on this, especially if you end up pushing further and banning earbuds too cause surprisesurprise, earbuds didnt solve the unnerving problem whatsoever. Thats a power play to me and then getting mad that they went to someone seemingly above the boss, that screams insecurity in your decisions. do I need to wear nylons to a job interview or are bare legs OK? Award Score. My noise cancelling headphones are life savers. Not a single adult in the world. If its no big deal and HR was all meh managers call, sorry dude. then its just one of those things. Working with a PT, nope.) I understand it can feel awkward to approach someone wearing headphones, but I do not think its reasonable to enforce an arbitrary rule on an employee because you feel a little uncomfortable. I think its really just this managers personal bias. Speaking as a former EMT, literal emergency responders emphatically *do not* work on a drop everything basis. 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. When the police arrived, the mans portable player was still playing music next to his body. Presumably, the employee doesnt also have earbuds at his desk. Im sure you dont intend to come across as patronizing, but you are nonetheless. I was expecting to be interrupted at any moment because it was a part of my job. Especially in light of yesterdays letter about the IT support setup with no ticketing system I was really starting to wonder about the processes at this place too. I cant do that without a tool. Its up to you. Until there is a formally accepted job offer, the employer should be aware that at any point they could lose their leading candidate to another offer. I also think this rule is overly rigid, especially since the manager is ok with earbuds as opposed to headphones. Technically Ive been wearing headphones at work a lot lately but Im not playing anything on them. Although there isn't any specific health and safety regulation that bans headphone use at work, in certain workplaces where there are risks it is reasonable to put a ban in place. 2) Have you put them so their desk is facing away from where people usually approach? Whats the goal? *I know I used the word boom a lot, I just cant think of any other word. I wear headphones not earbuds. Apparently there was a lot of misunderstanding in how the PM perceived my work performance. When the printer is making odd sounds or theyre installing something weird in the hall, you cant block it out. you know what, a good chunk of this might be frustration at the awful new uniforms my store is making us switch to but in response to the headphones thing.. suck it up. As a boss, I would worry that my employee either didnt understand what I told them or didnt care. OSHA says, Listening to music may produce a safety hazard by masking environmental sounds that need to be heard If your workplace has sounds that need to be heard (backup signals, machine alerts, etc.) This means that women are underdiagnosed factors such as gender norms make symptoms easier to mask or dismiss. This is not a hill to die on. As someone who also cannot use earbuds, Id be upset if using listening devices were allowed for some people but not for others because it seems an arbitrary rather than a policy based rule. For quite a few folks, the ability to wear headphones without formally requesting an accommodation is actually incredibly beneficial. Yeah, 99.99% of people are going to assume its for an old wrist injury or something, even if we know about the pelvic floor therapy. OP needs to BUTT OUT. Ill act like a normal person and walk over to her., (Personal opinion anyone should wear what they want. Both these things offended a lot of older people in the office (including my boss) who perceived both these types of headphones as making the person not approachable. The idea of asking them to change because I have to get their attention is flooring. I think more and more people are similarly realizing that they shouldnt provide details (because it invites judgement I have a coworker who needs PT for his knees and he gets judged on it because he behaves as though hes addicted to physical activity and has been known to push his body beyond its limits). All calls/emails are logged for tracking and trend analysis purposes. Ive had front desk jobs and, even with ADHD, I can do them without noise-blockers because its my job to seek and welcome interruption. I think that even saying its a physical therapy appointment would invite more questions, especially if the boss is worried this will be a workmens comp issue for a repetitive motion injury, or that the company should provide some sort of accommodation like a standing desk or special chair. 1) as a customer of IT support, I would be really peeved if Id opened a ticket for something critical, they started working on it, and were then forced to stop working on my ticket because someone else had walked up to their desk and they have to be interruptible at all times. He would need that evening to either buy earbuds or retrieve them from his home. I should also note that said AirPods were a Christmas gift to me, from my executives. Employers should evaluate their worksites and consider whether issuing a policy that bans headphone usage is appropriate. I am EMPHATICALLY opposed to open office spaces. While technically I could do this from the devices internal speaker as well, I work in an open office with several other people who have generally similar jobs and if we all did this then chaos would reign. Yes, but how to finish the work day, when one has headphones, and was using them. I tore my ACL and meniscus changing diapers on the floor. I get it that its frustrating for those on the outside to watch. My cube faces out, with my back to the wall. I dont care if someone is listening with headphones or not, I just start talking. 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). Private Label Energy Drink Cost, Articles N