Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

How do you tell your co-workers to stop talking and get back to work?

I work for the local government. At work, my cubicle is next to three co-workers. They're Chinese. Every now and then, a couple of co-workers from across the hall visit and they all end up talking to one another in their native language. I don't understand what they're saying. Frankly, I don't care what they're talking about. What I do care about is that when they get somewhat loud, it's providing a distraction for me. Is there a way for me to settle this with all 5 of them (3 of which are women) without one of them getting angry at me and the boss not having to know about it? I just want to tell them that when they all group together near my area and they start talking Chinese, they are distracting me from my work. I just want them to shut the eff up and get back to work. Or if they want to carry a conversation, do it somewhere where nobody will be bothered by it.

Now before any of you reading this will respond by telling me how racist I am, let me tell you that I would be similarly annoyed if they were Mexican, Armenian, black and white.

1 Answer

Relevance
  • T E
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    if their boss doesnt bother them talking and not getting back to work, you shouldnt bother, and you are not their boss. any comments by you will just make the situation worse.

    your conern is the noise and that you dont know what they are talking about or laughing about as that could be about you. for that i would suggest that you wear a ear plug or ear piece with or without mp3 music or radio on.

    another alternative is to request a different office or work area

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.