We’ve all dealt with them—that one coworker who always seems to want to stop and chat, no matter what you’re doing. Whether they’re bored or just lonely, you might find yourself frequently getting roped into conversations you don’t want to have.
It might not seem like that big of a deal, but a one-sided chat is, at best, annoying and, at worst, disruptive, especially if you have a heavy workday or time-sensitive things to do. At the end of the day, you’re at work—you need to be able to do your job.
A shocking 71% of respondents to a recent Preply survey said a chatty coworker prevented them from getting their work done. 36% even said the chattiness hurt their performance at work. A toxic workplace can kill your drive and motivation. Don’t let that happen to you.
Social dynamics at work are complicated, especially if the serial chatter is someone on your team or above you. But there are ways to communicate your needs without hurting your coworker’s feelings.
In this post, we’ll go over six tips to help you deal with a talkative coworker, so you can get some well-deserved peace and quiet.
1. Avoid Them
If the chatter is someone you don’t work with directly and just someone who happens to work in the same building or general area as you do, try adjusting your habits so that you don’t cross paths. For example, if this person always strikes up a conversation with you while you’re getting coffee from the communal pot, try bringing your own coffee to work or getting your cup a little earlier.
By no means should you have to go to extreme lengths to avoid someone at your workplace. If you can steer clear of them easily, that’s great if you can’t, try using some of our other suggestions.
2. Mute Notifications
As workplaces increasingly trend toward remote and hybrid models, you might find yourself working from home or in another non-traditional setting. The WFH setup doesn’t always put a stop to chatty coworkers, however. You might find yourself sifting through a deluge of notifications and direct messages from bored and lonely colleagues.
Luckily, many virtual office apps come with tools to support productivity. Depending on what app you use, you can change your status to “Away,” “Do Not Disturb,” or make it invisible so others can’t see when you’re online. If excessive messages are a problem, you can usually mute notifications for a specific conversation or individual, so you can cut down the distraction without missing out on other important alerts.
3. Set Boundaries
When a coworker starts an unwanted conversation, you might not always feel comfortable shutting them down. But you can respond in a way that makes your boundaries and needs clear. Giving your coworker a time boundary is one of the best ways to curtail a pointless chat. For example, saying something like, “I only have 10 minutes to talk right now,” or “I can talk a little bit, but I have a hard stop at the top of the hour,” drives the conversation toward a close.
You don’t have to tell them what you might be doing or where you’re going—it’s none of their business. All they need to know is that you only have a set amount of time to talk, no more. Once that time is up, let them know you have to go, even if you have to interrupt.
4. Be Direct
You know what they say: honesty is the best policy. It’s uncomfortable sometimes, but being direct with your chatty coworker may be the best way to get your needs met. You don’t have to be mean or rude to be direct. You can simply tell them that, while you appreciate their friendliness, the talking distracts you from getting your job done, and you need to focus on your work.
Excessively chatty coworkers can negatively impact office productivity and the workplace environment as a whole. In addition to hurting individual job performance, the Preply survey found that some workers have to compensate for their chatty coworkers by working longer hours (26%), working after hours (22%), and doing some or all of the coworker’s work (24%).
So if you’re feeling burdened, it’s likely that your other coworkers are too. Making the chatter aware that their behavior is a problem might help improve the atmosphere for everyone.
5. Ignore Them
If all else fails, just ignore them. It sounds harsh, we know—but remember, you’re there to do your job. You’re not there to listen to this person talk about company gossip, the weather, politics, or whatever else is on their mind. Unless they’re a boss or a manager, you have no obligation to pay attention to the prattle, especially if you’ve already tried to make them aware of the problem.
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By ignoring them, you take back control. It’s now their decision if they want to keep talking to someone who clearly doesn’t want to hear it.
Final Thoughts
A chatty coworker might be the bane of your workplace, but there are ways to work with (or around) them. If too much chatter is interfering with your work life, try using some of our suggestions to address the problem. Remember, while it’s important to be polite and kind, no one has the right to make you uncomfortable at work.
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