Hi all,
I need some insight on this new company I just joined recently.
Overally, everything about the company is perfect. I mean, really perfect.
Except for one really disturbing issue : the office is too quiet.
You guys ever been to libraries? Especially the most deserted area in the library where you feel like you're in a vacuum?
That's how the office is like. And even more bizarrely, no one seems to talk to each other! And once in a blue moon when they do talk, it's all work.
Now, you may think: ok, so normal work-related talk with a couple of jokes here and there, and some small talk thrown in once in a while or some banter / slight chatter.
Except there's none. The conversation is PURE work, full of figures, numbers, stats, data, and once done, people go back immediately to their seats.
In the morning, people don't greet each other.
People plug their ears with earphones.
People eat lunch solo.
On certain days, you don't even see or hear some of them opening their mouths.
You may think : people go to work to work, NOT socialize.
You may argue: maybe it's cos' they're super busy.
The thing is : I've been in job environments that are WAY more high-tempo and busier than this, and those environments also have financial consequences if things go wrong, something this current one doesn't have.
So, this doesn't really explain why the office is so bizarrely quiet to the point it's scary and creepy.
Can you imagine going to work every day and not talk to your colleagues more than 10 words a day? I highly doubt anyone has worked in this weird situation before.
Don't get me wrong : the people are courteous, friendly, polite and easy-going, but somehow, no one seems to want to open their mouths.
Is this because of some underlying issue that I'm not aware of? Like some undercurrent at work here. I just joined recently, if you remember, so I still need to observe.
While people may say a quiet office is better than a chaotic one, an office that is even quieter than a cemetery (at least in cemeteries, you can hear insects) feels very uncomfortable to work in.
I'm not gonna leave any time soon cos' the work is very awesome.
Is there anything I can do long-term to slowly turn things around? Never faced this sort of situation before. I'm gonna try saying greetings to them and making small talk and forcing in some jokes between the 101%-work conversations to see if things get better.
Also, is it a good idea to ask HR about why the office is like this? In the 6+ companies I worked with, never faced anything like this.
Even in quiet companies, people do make small talk occasionally here and there, not keep mum permanently.
In normal offices, people would occasionally bump into each other at the pantry area and talk a bit, or some colleague would drop by your cubicle to engage in a bit of healthy small talk, but well...., here....
Tks for any insight!
I need some insight on this new company I just joined recently.
Overally, everything about the company is perfect. I mean, really perfect.
Except for one really disturbing issue : the office is too quiet.
You guys ever been to libraries? Especially the most deserted area in the library where you feel like you're in a vacuum?
That's how the office is like. And even more bizarrely, no one seems to talk to each other! And once in a blue moon when they do talk, it's all work.
Now, you may think: ok, so normal work-related talk with a couple of jokes here and there, and some small talk thrown in once in a while or some banter / slight chatter.
Except there's none. The conversation is PURE work, full of figures, numbers, stats, data, and once done, people go back immediately to their seats.
In the morning, people don't greet each other.
People plug their ears with earphones.
People eat lunch solo.
On certain days, you don't even see or hear some of them opening their mouths.
You may think : people go to work to work, NOT socialize.
You may argue: maybe it's cos' they're super busy.
The thing is : I've been in job environments that are WAY more high-tempo and busier than this, and those environments also have financial consequences if things go wrong, something this current one doesn't have.
So, this doesn't really explain why the office is so bizarrely quiet to the point it's scary and creepy.
Can you imagine going to work every day and not talk to your colleagues more than 10 words a day? I highly doubt anyone has worked in this weird situation before.
Don't get me wrong : the people are courteous, friendly, polite and easy-going, but somehow, no one seems to want to open their mouths.
Is this because of some underlying issue that I'm not aware of? Like some undercurrent at work here. I just joined recently, if you remember, so I still need to observe.
While people may say a quiet office is better than a chaotic one, an office that is even quieter than a cemetery (at least in cemeteries, you can hear insects) feels very uncomfortable to work in.
I'm not gonna leave any time soon cos' the work is very awesome.
Is there anything I can do long-term to slowly turn things around? Never faced this sort of situation before. I'm gonna try saying greetings to them and making small talk and forcing in some jokes between the 101%-work conversations to see if things get better.
Also, is it a good idea to ask HR about why the office is like this? In the 6+ companies I worked with, never faced anything like this.
Even in quiet companies, people do make small talk occasionally here and there, not keep mum permanently.
In normal offices, people would occasionally bump into each other at the pantry area and talk a bit, or some colleague would drop by your cubicle to engage in a bit of healthy small talk, but well...., here....
Tks for any insight!
