Reply To: Work Distractions

[ADDled]

I work in a cube farm, unfortunately, and the office background noise is extremely distracting regardless of the counter-measures I use to keep what’s left of my sanity.

These include the use of “noise-reduction” headphones that enclose the entire ear. But, the big misconception of noise reduction technology is that it does not totally result in complete sound reduction: there is still “leakage”. So it merely reduces the volume, and  if you are sound sensitive, an audio distraction is still audio distraction, regardless of the decibel level. Sometimes I’m forced to use ear plugs as well as the headphones to reduce the audio distraction to the point where I can almost fully concentrate on my work. I have listened to my tunes on my iPhone, but the volume has to be at “11”.

My concerns have been raised with my supervisors, several times, including performance reviews (and, of course, my performance generally is below average). It even went as far as the HR dept (a tip….HR is not your friend) and even they failed to understand the impact on ADHD.

There was this female co-worker in the next cube who had a laugh like a demented hyena. It was just that irritating and disruptive. And she would always find something to guffaw about several times a day. I asked my supervisor to speak to her supervisor about reducing the noise. That lasted two days.

Even though though working in a quiet area was recommended as an accommodation by the psychologist who confirmed my diagnosis, it has been consistently dismissed as not possible. And I know the company is required by law to provide accommodation “up to the point of undo hardship”. This is large, multi-national company that makes more money than Bill Gates, so hardship is not the issue. When I stated during the HR meeting “perhaps I should puncture my eardrums with an ice-pick? Would that solve my problem?” all I got was a dumb stare.

HR’s recommendation was to start earlier in the AM. But if you have worked in any office, most people start early in the AM to socialize before the boss comes in. So, that won’t work. Or stay late. Or to continue using my headphones. For eight hours a day. Maybe 12 hours sometimes.

Stonewalling, I thinks it’s called.

The other thing about headphones is that it isolates you socially from the rest of the office. Like, “what’s up with him”?

I once worked in a factory, where I saw a machinist who was hearing impaired (to the point of being completely deaf). I asked my wife why would someone with that severe of a hearing impairment would want to wear hearing protection? (Those big headphone-like things.) Her answer was “maybe he just wants to look like everyone else in machining”. Then it hit me. He didn’t want to be defined by his disability as being different”. Lesson learned.

And yet I always hear from people who are “neurologically-normal” comment that:  “It’s amazing how much work I can get done when no one is around”. Really? How do you think those of who have ADHD are supposed to work?

What ever happened to being courteous and respectful in the office?

 

REPORT ABUSE