Noise levels in the workplace affecting my mental health

Gwen Cooper

Hi all,

I'm looking for an advice about what my rights are in this matter and if my employer has any responsibilities in my case.

I have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), with a nice addition of depression and anxiety. I haven't taken any medication for it for about a year now and I was managing quite well with just therapy.

I work in a call center, however I'm not on the calls. I am in an admin position, working on a computer that's located on the same floor with the guys on the phones.

They don't seem to be too busy most of the time, they're chatting with each other a lot. I don't mind that, neither do I mind the general call center background noise (people constantly talking).

What I have a problem with is the excessive noise they are making. There are regular outbursts of screaming and roaring laughing. I've worked in different call centers before and while we were all allowed to chat with each other when not on calls, we would get in trouble for making excessive noise on the floor.

One of my symptoms is sensory overload, specifically it's the noise levels. I get very irritable once it takes off, sometimes I start swearing, I'm shaking, ready to cry, can't breathe, something like a panic attack, with the difference that I can literally feel my brain buzzing during sensory overload. At that point any noise becomes physically painful.

I started measuring the noise levels in the office just to see if I'm being unreasonable, the levels are usually between 78 and 81 Db. In another call center where I had a chance to measure the levels (a much bigger one with about twice as many people), the levels stayed between 75 and 77 Db on average.

I see that it bothers my colleagues who are sitting next to me. They are also irritable and it makes them angry.

We tried to talk to the loud people a few times, but they just give each other looks like we are the crazy ones here.

I'm trying to figure out what to do. I was reading HR policies, but nothing is said there about excessive noise levels.

I was also googling to see what options I would have regarding workplace health & safety regulations, but I can't make much sense of it when it comes to this particular case.

From my googling it looks like if I brought a letter from a doctor saying that I suffer from sensory overload, they would have to do something.

A call center is a noisy place naturally, and I want to make clear that it's not the call-center noise that's bothering me, it's the excessive noise, screaming and roaring laughing.

I'm just looking to see if any of you would have any suggestions as to what I can do (apart from looking for a new job, because I like this one ). I'm worried that if I say something to HR, I will be told something along the lines of "well you work in a call center, what do you expect?"

Any help would really be greatly appreciated, because I am really ready to have a meltdown. The next time I see my doctor, I will have to ask to be put back on medication as my stress levels are through the roof and the noise at work is massively at fault.

Cheers!

cml387

Have you tried noise cancelling headphones?

davo10

You want your colleagues to talk and laugh more quietly?

Gwen Cooper

cml387 wrote: »

Have you tried noise cancelling headphones?

Not really an option - I need to hear my colleagues in case they need something, we are a team and often there are multiple people working on one case, we need to be able to consult each other.

MarkR

I'm in a IT support environment, and I've come across the same issues. Some people are just plain loud. There are some things you can do about this though.

1. Good headphones. Get wireless ones. I saw some really good ones that were noise cancelling recently on amazon for about 80. Saying that, I use a pair that cost me 20, and they do help dampen the noise. I don't even have them playing anything half the time. I know you mentioned being contactable, but people will quickly adapt to waving a hand, or skyping you to draw attention.
2. Speak to your supervior. If this is a health issue, they will need to take it seriously, and try to help
3. Location. I'm enviously looking back to the quiet corner where I used to sit. Is there a quiter area you can sit? Even partitions added can help dampen noise.

Gwen Cooper

davo10 wrote: »

You want your colleagues to talk and laugh more quietly?

Well, yes. If you're in a big room and you're sitting in one corner and you can't hear the person who is sitting next to you over the people on the other side of the room, there is clearly a problem.

Diziet

The first step is to speak to your manager. This level of noise is way beyond acceptable. See what they say and take it from there.

doolox

Would it be possible to get a separate office with soundproofing? I know in one place I worked the HR staff managed to get a separate office due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the stuff they were working on and the need to conduct interviews in private. Signs were put up everywhere in the HR floor looking for quiet. No loud activities were tolerated or allowed. Similar on some of the Engineering and Accountancy areas of the workplace.

You may need to get this sorted by going down the Health and Safety or loss of productivity, higher risk of errors and loss control route. There may be a case if you can opt for working on your own but a lot of corporate types like open plan offices as they make supervision easier and make idling harder as you are always in the public eye.

I have autism and loud crowdy places do my head in. I was offered a job in a separate room on my own which I took to readily. The supervisors on the other shifts had to get 2 employees to work the same room on the other shifts as most normal people can't stand working on their own so the supervisor saw it as a bonus.

Gwen Cooper

MarkR wrote: »

I'm in a IT support environment, and I've come across the same issues. Some people are just plain loud. There are some things you can do about this though.

1. Good headphones. Get wireless ones. I saw some really good ones that were noise cancelling recently on amazon for about 80. Saying that, I use a pair that cost me 20, and they do help dampen the noise. I don't even have them playing anything half the time. I know you mentioned being contactable, but people will quickly adapt to waving a hand, or skyping you to draw attention.
2. Speak to your supervior. If this is a health issue, they will need to take it seriously, and try to help
3. Location. I'm enviously looking back to the quiet corner where I used to sit. Is there a quiter area you can sit? Even partitions added can help dampen noise.

Hi,

Thank you for your suggestions.

I'll look into the headphones further, but I don't think that it would work. I would end up being stressed over missing something important (the wonderful world of anxiety)

My manager is aware of this and they tried to talk to their manager, who just said that they are such an upbeat department that the noise is all positive.

They moved us recently by a few meters, from one corner to the other, it doesn't really make a difference. We tried to ask to be put on a different floor with another department, but there is no space available for us.

Thanks again

Gwen Cooper

doolox wrote: »

Would it be possible to get a separate office with soundproofing? I know in one place I worked the HR staff managed to get a separate office due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the stuff they were working on and the need to conduct interviews in private. Signs were put up everywhere in the HR floor looking for quiet. No loud activities were tolerated or allowed. Similar on some of the Engineering and Accountancy areas of the workplace.

You may need to get this sorted by going down the Health and Safety or loss of productivity, higher risk of errors and loss control route. There may be a case if you can opt for working on your own but a lot of corporate types like open plan offices as they make supervision easier and make idling harder as you are always in the public eye.

I have autism and loud crowdy places do my head in. I was offered a job in a separate room on my own which I took to readily. The supervisors on the other shifts had to get 2 employees to work the same room on the other shifts as most normal people can't stand working on their own so the supervisor saw it as a bonus.

Hi, thanks for your post.

Unfortunately there is no other place where we could go, we are pretty much stuck here. Health & Safety is what I was thinking, that if I bring a confirmation from a doctor, they will be forced to act, instead of just looking like they are doing something about it.

I'm just worried that I wouldn't have any grounds complaining about a noisy place when I chose to work in a call center.

dar100

if you have a medical condition, which BPD is, your employer is obliged to make a Reasonable Accommodation for you, look it up

Diziet

Employers can rarely be 'forced' to do anything. And you have a hard problem on your hands, controlling boisterous behaviour that has been allowed to continue unchecked (what are they, toddlers?).
If they cannot move you (and they may well make it happen is pushed enough, by moving soem desks around), then get some good quality over ear headphones and use them. If your colleagues want to talk to you, they can come up to your desk. In any case noise cancelling does not cancel out the human voice, but the over ear headphones cut the noise level a lot by themselves. 
What I found very useful, even better than noise cancelling is a white noise generator. I often use this site, with headphones https://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/whiteNoiseGenerator.php. it allows you to adjust the frequencies to effectively drown out the noise. Great for productivity and calm.

MarkR

Gwen Cooper wrote: »

Hi,

Thank you for your suggestions.

I'll look into the headphones further, but I don't think that it would work. I would end up being stressed over missing something important (the wonderful world of anxiety)

My manager is aware of this and they tried to talk to their manager, who just said that they are such an upbeat department that the noise is all positive.

They moved us recently by a few meters, from one corner to the other, it doesn't really make a difference. We tried to ask to be put on a different floor with another department, but there is no space available for us.

Thanks again

We have a guy here who is deaf. Everyone was made aware beforehand, and coms are done via skype. You won't miss anything once everyone gets used to it.

https://deals.androidauthority.com/sales/treblab-z2-wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones?utm_campaign=Order+Confirmation&utm_medium=email&utm_source=StackCommerce+Marketing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TREBLAB-Headphones-Cancelling-Cloud-Like-Microphone-Black/dp/B0778V7RVR

These are those headphones I mentioned.

Gwen Cooper

Diziet wrote: »

Employers can rarely be 'forced' to do anything. And you have a hard problem on your hands, controlling boisterous behaviour that has been allowed to continue unchecked (what are they, toddlers?).

Hi, thanks for taking the time to respond

Yeah it sounds like I'm sitting in the middle of a pub, surrounded by people who had at least three pints each.

Diziet wrote: »

What I found very useful, even better than noise cancelling is a white noise generator. I often use this site, with headphones {link} it allows you to adjust the frequencies to effectively drown out the noise. Great for productivity and calm.

Never heard of that before, I'll check it out, thanks!

RebelButtMunch

Ear bud headphones, without anything playing will dampen the noise a fair bit but you'll still be able to hear if your colleagues are looking for you're attention. Although, wearing ear buds a lot might end up hurting your ears, so maybe some over ear ones too just in case.

Google these "High Quality Plugfones Contractor Yellow Ear Plug Earbuds Headphones"

Dial Hard

I hate people wearing headphones in the office, you've to call everyone in my place two or three times before they hear you and that includes the guy sitting right beside me.

They weren't allowed in previous places I've worked and rightly so, imo. They make everyone into a little silo.

Having said that, there is one particularly noisy pod in my office and when they kick off, it's extremely annoying. But them's just the breaks of working in an office environment, really.

ETA: That's generally, obvs. Given the OP has diagnosed issues, I would think their employer would make a genuine effort to alleviate her difficulties.

MadamRazz

Can you wear earplugs? It wont block out all the noise but will hopefully dampen it a bit and you should be able to hear people who want your attention. I also suffer from anxiety and depression and sometimes noise gets too much for me. I have found wearing headphone with nothing playing can be enough sometimes.

When you find it getting too much, could you go out and get some fresh air and separate yourself from it for a few minutes and try and reset yourself?

Diziet

Dial Hard wrote: »

I hate people wearing headphones in the office, you've to call everyone in my place two or three times before they hear you and that includes the guy sitting right beside me.

They weren't allowed in previous places I've worked and rightly so, imo. They make everyone into a little silo.

Having said that, there is one particularly noisy pod in my office and when they kick off, it's extremely annoying. But them's just the breaks of working in an office environment, really.

ETA: That's generally, obvs. Given the OP has diagnosed issues, I would think their employer would make a genuine effort to alleviate her difficulties.

It depends on the environment. One of the places I worked in had radio playing, at a low volume, all the time, and it killed my productivity. Headphones allowed me to work effectively. My colleagues had to adjust. of course, the employer could have turned the blooming radio off :-)
If they banned headphones, I would have made an early exit, it's like keeping the windows open in winter and banning coats. Obviously there are situations where they are banned for safety, which I totally get.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

wexie

Have you asked if there is any occupational health support in the company?
They may well be able to help with regards to either headphones/earplugs or other suggestions?

Kinda depends on the size of the company and the willingness to make accommodations though

beauf

I had to spend a week configuring machines in a call center once. I nearly went crazy with them repeating the same conversations every 2 or 3 mins. So glad when we finished the job.

beauf

Dial Hard wrote: »

I hate people wearing headphones in the office, you've to call everyone in my place two or three times before they hear you and that includes the guy sitting right beside me.

They weren't allowed in previous places I've worked and rightly so, imo. They make everyone into a little silo.

Having said that, there is one particularly noisy pod in my office and when they kick off, it's extremely annoying. But them's just the breaks of working in an office environment, really.

ETA: That's generally, obvs. Given the OP has diagnosed issues, I would think their employer would make a genuine effort to alleviate her difficulties.

Depends on the job. If you are in a job where you need to concentrate you need to disconnect from the noise in the office. I use earphones, but the ones that still allow some sound in, so I can hear if some one calls me. Most places I've worked have allowed them for the same reason.

GarIT

I sometimes use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpine-MusicSafe-Filter-Plugs-Musicians/dp/B000VO8PR0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1524167640&sr=8-4&keywords=alpine+pro

They are designed to make everything 3, 6 or 12 dB quieter without distorting the sound at all.

qwerty13

Dial Hard wrote: »

I hate people wearing headphones in the office, you've to call everyone in my place two or three times before they hear you and that includes the guy sitting right beside me.

They weren't allowed in previous places I've worked and rightly so, imo. They make everyone into a little silo.

Having said that, there is one particularly noisy pod in my office and when they kick off, it's extremely annoying. But them's just the breaks of working in an office environment, really.

ETA: That's generally, obvs. Given the OP has diagnosed issues, I would think their employer would make a genuine effort to alleviate her difficulties.

I’d disagree with this, I think earphones are great: listen to music you like, put you in a better mood, allow you to concentrate, block out discussions of soaps/kids. Anyone who wants to get your attention can skype message you or wave. And that it in itself lessens people wasting time asking before thinking.

Dial Hard

I'm clearly in the minority who thinks it's a bit ridiculous to Skype someone sitting six feet away.

It just seems to me that people are losing the ability to actually have face to face conversations anymore and I find it all a bit weird, tbh.

qwerty13

I find that a huge proportion of the conversations you have to listen to are about last nights tv, children, lunch, commuting. Not worth listening to for the small proportion that’s actually about work.

That’s why, for me, it’s better to work without distractions. Skype message is good for a quick question, or to ask if it suits for you to visit the persons desk to talk in a bit more detail. Keeps the distractions and noise levels down, and everyone can actually concentrate on what they’re supposed to be doing.

fritzelly

I'm gonna play devils advocate - you stopped taking medication for your condition, you are working in an environment where in general it would be loud regardless of whether people are busy or not
Maybe it's time to look for another job
You cannot expect an whole work force to succumb to one individuals needs of peace and quiet - this is a call centre where some individuals will be louder than others, it's gonna be loud at the best of times.
You say they "don't seem to be too busy" but obviously you don't know - can you see what they are all doing?
Your noise level deductions are not even at an harmful level, and I would hazard a guess that your maximum readings are not a sustained reading which would be needed for any complaint for some kind of noise issue

wexie

fritzelly wrote: »

I'm gonna play devils advocate - you stopped taking medication for your condition,

I can't read that from her post. It just said 'I am not taking medication'

Not 'I decided not to take any medication'.

Which to me means she's likely not taking any because she's been told not to as they're likely not doing anything for her.

If it's BPD with anxiety and depression then it's highly likely the BPD is the problem and the anxiety and depression are symptoms, in which case it's highly unlikely medication would do much of anything other than sedate her.

You're right though that it's perhaps not feasible to expect an entire office to adapt to her. Having said that, sounds to me that the behaviours she's describing have no place in a professional environment whatsoever. Perhaps in the break room.

Gwen Cooper

Thank you all for your responses and headphones/earplugs suggestions, I will look into it properly over the weekend.

fritzelly wrote: »

I'm gonna play devils advocate - you stopped taking medication for your condition

I just want to clarify that I didn't just stop taking the meds because I felt like it. I gradually stopped taking them because my psychiatrist agreed that there is no need for them anymore. Also, the meds had nothing to do with sensory overload, it was SSRI for depression and anxiety.

fritzelly wrote: »

you are working in an environment where in general it would be loud regardless of whether people are busy or not
Maybe it's time to look for another job
You cannot expect an whole work force to succumb to one individuals needs of peace and quiet - this is a call centre where some individuals will be louder than others, it's gonna be loud at the best of times.

As I explained in my opening post, a call center noise is not the problem here. I've worked in different call centers before, even in different departments in this particular company, and never had an issue until I moved to this floor. It became a problem instantly - from that it's safe to assume that my condition just didn't happen to get worse gradually while I was sitting in this department, the noise was already above normal when I got here.

I'm not the only person who is complaining about it and you can see that other people are annoyed by the noise as well.

fritzelly wrote: »

You say they "don't seem to be too busy" but obviously you don't know - can you see what they are all doing

When the phones are busy, they don't shriek. From all that screaming and laughing I am assuming that they are not busy most of the time.

fritzelly wrote: »

Your noise level deductions are not even at an harmful level, and I would hazard a guess that your maximum readings are not a sustained reading which would be needed for any complaint for some kind of noise issue

I only included the readings to show that there is a clear difference.

PhoenixParker

Fixtures and fittings can have a huge impact on noise levels. They're another area to consider for your manager if they haven't already. Soft furnishings, wall coverings, flooring, anything that stops sound bouncing around as much. Partitions placed near the source of the noise too.

minikin

Have you considered making some alternative options for yourself - get an admin role in a small company with a quiet environment... like a solicitors office etc?

You have to do all you can to be kind to yourself before expecting everyone else to change around you. Call centres by their nature are staffed by younger (noisier) folk who may not have gained the maturity of those with more experience under their belt - it’s the nature of the beast.

There’s no point in becoming a martyr to a situation just because ‘your rights... blah blah blah’. Take action NOW to find a better work situation, take care of yourself!