Office Pet Peeves in 2025 and How To Avoid Them

Working alongside coworkers can be a positive experience, as sharing duties with like-minded people makes the day go by faster and brightens the workplace. The opposite can be true, as well, when you have a coworker who doesn’t respect boundaries and makes the day more difficult as you power through. As many more are returning to work or beginning their career, we felt it may be timely to share a few common office pet peeves in 2025 and how to avoid them with grace and decorum.

Office Interrupters and Loud Talkers

It’s nice to work with friendly coworkers who respect your privacy and work ethic. When you are constantly interrupted by a peer who walks into your office, sits down, and wants to talk about something irrelevant, it can be distracting and hinder your creativity. When juggling multiple projects, frequent interruptions can drastically affect productivity and impede a deadline. Consider a friendly signal that lets your coworker know you are in a zone and will meet up with them later in the day, or at lunch. Make eye contact, smile, and raise your finger to signal, “I will talk to you later.” Or, make a friendly sign that says, “I’m in the zone” or “Focused work – please return later unless urgent” that you put on your door with a smiley face on it for those who may want to come in and talk about the latest Netflix series they just watched.

If you sit next to a loud talker, or someone who bellows with laughter throughout the day, consider having a private talk with them and letting them know they are probably not aware of their volume. Mention that your clients have noticed the background noise and find it disruptive. If you don’t have a good relationship with this person, speak to a supervisor and let them address the issue in a general fashion at a staff meeting, rather than pointing anyone out specifically. When all else fails, resort to headphones or move to a quiet space with your supervisor’s blessing when you can’t lose focus.

Meeting Time Wasters

Depending on importance, an email may be a better option than a Zoom call. Or, you may be more efficient if you get up from your desk and walk over to the next cubicle to discuss. If you do opt for a meeting of any kind, here are a few tips:

• Start and end the meeting on time
• Follow an agenda
• Stick to the topic and don’t go off on another tangent
• Schedule a separate meeting for off-topic issues
• Turn on your camera
• Watch your body language
• Don’t eat or multitask
• Mute yourself when not speaking
• Solicitations for Kids Fundraisers

Before bringing in your crate of popcorn and chocolate bars to peddle to your peers, it’s important to check the office policy regarding fundraising efforts. Be aware that even if there are no rules against it, you may be putting your coworkers in an awkward position by asking them to buy wrapping paper, cookie dough, or raffle tickets. As a non-threatening alternative, you can leave a flyer, or order sheet in the office kitchen and allow those who want to contribute to do so. If you have asked once, don’t come back a few weeks later with another request. If you are on the receiving end of such requests and don’t want to buy the item(s), simply say something like, “The popcorn looks good, but I’m going to pass.” A short and sweet response works best, and always in a friendly tone of voice.

Going Barefoot

Your heels may be uncomfortable or your leather oxfords may be a half-inch too small, but it’s up to you to bring an extra pair of shoes to change into during the day. Traipsing through the hall in your socks, or bare feet is not hygienic, nor appealing. Some colleagues might feel uncomfortable watching you rub your sore heel or race through the office without any footwear. You are not in your home and should choose a shoe that will accommodate your feet as they swell throughout the day.

Kitchen and Bathroom Invaders

The kitchen and bathroom are the most utilized rooms in an office space. Keeping them clean and neat takes effort on everyone’s part. Here are a few etiquette tips:

• Clean as you go: Wipe down the common area like the sink, and counter surface after you have finished with your business.
• Use soap and water to clean dishes and wash your hands.
• Don’t use the last piece of toilet paper or paper towel without putting a new roll on the holder.
• If something is stuck, clogged, or not draining properly, tell someone immediately.
• Dispose of your trash properly. Make sure the paper hits the receptacle instead of the outside of the rim.
• Make sure there are always plenty of extra supplies such as toilet paper, hand soap, paper towels, and trash bags under the cabinet and easily accessible.
• Do not stand outside of the door while someone else is waiting to use the restroom. It makes everyone uncomfortable!

You may also like Are You Guilty of These Tip Office Pet Peeves? 

For more information about working with Diane, America’s “Go To” social and professional etiquette authority, please visit The Protocol School of Texas. 

See what Diane is up to by following her on Instagram and Facebook and find etiquette inspiration on her Pinterest account. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, refer to her posts on Inc. and HuffPost.