People keep treating the coworking space like a library

I work out of a spot in Raleigh, and there's this thing that drives me nuts. Folks will book a hot desk, then spend the whole day on video calls without headphones. It happened again yesterday, this guy had a two hour sales call on speakerphone at full volume. The whole point of these places is to have a bit of community and energy, not to force everyone to listen to your business. I know we're not in a silent office, but basic courtesy seems lost. It makes it impossible for anyone else to focus. How do you even bring that up without sounding like the workspace police? Has anyone found a good way to handle the loud talkers?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_ben5d ago

Have you tried talking to the space managers about it? They should be the ones setting basic rules for noise. It's their job to keep the place usable for everyone.

max7165d ago

What if the managers are the ones making the noise? I've seen places where the staff blasts music or holds loud meetings in open areas. That puts everyone in a tough spot.

lucashenderson5d ago

Our last office had a manager who would take loud calls at his desk. I started booking the small phone booth for important calls just to escape the noise. Sometimes you have to find your own quiet spot if the people in charge are the problem.