0

The issues I face are not technical but related to my working environment. In the office, on my floor and the one above it, renovation work has been in progress for the last few weeks.

I know some issues related to tidiness and cleanness are common these days. But in my opinion some responsibility should be taken by management to handle this situation. Desks are not regularly cleaned by their owners. Carpets and the lobby get dirty too. Such an environment distracts me.

I have raised the issue with the manager (there is no actual office manager) and he said that he will check issue and take required action. But after two weeks of waiting nothing has happened.

How can I further raise my issue in the organization?

Improve this question
1
  • I got laid off after complaining of mouse droppings on my desk. So tread carefully.
    – Amy Blankenship
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 15:04

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
9

When there is renovation in progress things can become temporarily untidy. Your manager may not be able to do more than ask the renovators to clean up better but have no way of forcing the issue beyond complaining.

Two options appear to me.

Talk to the manager again, this may help, or may not. But at the very least it will be a nudge in the right direction and let them know that you view the matter seriously.

Secondly, and this is actually what I would do. Clean up your personal working environment yourself. Assuming you work in a reasonably small place it's totally acceptable for you to take a few minutes to tidy it up. In fact in my office we do have a good cleaner, but he has nothing to do really in my office apart from empty the rubbish and clean the floor if he can find anything on it. My office is large with me as the sole occupant. If you work with others, you may well find that if you take the initiative and clean your area, others will follow your example. I have seen this as well.

If the situation is health threatening, like rotting leftovers, or filthy toilets, then that's another story. At the end of the day, it's unreasonable to expect extensive renovations over two floors that take weeks not to create a bit of a mess and impact on all areas involved. And that's probably how your manager is viewing it, preferring the renovations to be done as quickly as possible before focusing on cleaning things up. Rather than possibly antagonizing renovators he/she has no control over, or slowing their work.

Improve this answer
3
  • 3
    This is very good advice. If you differ from your coworkers in how dust and dirt affect your productivity, 5 minutes of cleaning is better than being slow all day. Further, it gives the manager something concrete to compare to: "you reno people need to clean up to save my staff doing it" is better than "you reno people need to clean up because your dirt makes my staff less productive". And you're not just sitting back complaining and demanding something be done, you're doing it, which changes the default and motivates others. It's good advice.
    – Kate Gregory
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 11:14
  • In addition to this answer (and following up on Kate's comment not just sitting back complaining and demanding something be done), see if there's anything you can propose to deal with the situation. That is much more helpful than just complaining, and shows initiative.
    – user8036
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 13:38
  • 1
    And bring a big sheet of plastic to work and cover as much of your workspace as you can or at least a garbage bag over your computer.
    – user8365
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 13:38

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .