The 6 Do’s and Don’ts when sharing an office

While it would be lovely if we all had our own space at the office, unless you're in a senior leadership role, you’re likely sharing an office with at least one other person. Here are some do’s and don’ts to make your shared office a more comfortable and productive work environment.

Do

1. Establish norms and share your pet peeves. When you first meet your new officemate, having a frank conversation about your expectations can go a long way. First, be clear on what you need and what you want from an officemate. Do you work best with music playing? Do you snack throughout the day at your desk? Whatever your habits are, put them out in the open. Once you’ve both shared, find some middle ground. Perhaps your officemate needs quiet when she works. One way to compromise would be to invest in a pair of headphones. This way, you and she both get to be in your most productive elements.
2. Check in if you’re going to do something out of the ordinary. For instance, it’s really nice when your officemate checks in with you before she invites another person into the office for a meeting. This way, there is room to voice concern if you’re working on a project that requires undivided attention. You can politely ask her to find another space. Being flexible sometimes and asserting boundaries at others is an important balance to find in your work space.
3. Tell your officemate if you’ll be out. This one is easy and goes a long way. If people stop by and want to know where you are, it’s good for your officemate to be in the loop and message your whereabouts accordingly. Also, if it is just you and one other person in the office, knowing when your officemate will be out can help you schedule meetings in the office, do that spring cleaning you’ve been putting off, and just anticipate having some space to yourself. 

Don’t

1. Take personal calls often. This is the work place, not your living room. A personal call once in a while, to make a plan about where you’re meeting your friend for dinner, or to schedule a doctor’s appointment is okay. However, be aware of having personal phone calls that go on for more than 5-10 minutes, or that reveal too much information. This is not only distracting, but it also puts your officemate in a position to know more about your life than they should (or want to). 
2. Gab too much. Your officemate is your colleague, not your friend. It can be tempting to chat often because of her proximity but be wary of oversharing with your officemate. If you need to talk, it’s polite to ask your officemate, “Let me know when you have 10 minutes to talk. I want to run something by you.” Remember that your officemate has her own work and takes her own breaks. Giving her space to decide when you talk indicates your respect for her schedule.
3. Eat smelly food in your office. That pan-seared trout was delicious last night, but if you brought the leftovers for lunch, be considerate of your surroundings. If your lunch has an odor, err on the side of caution and eat it in the lunch room or outside.

Do you share an office? Tell us about how you keep the peace.