These are the top 50 gripes for office workers in London

London’s workers have revealed their top office gripes, including blathering loudly, colleagues ‘borrowing’ equipment without permission and the toilets being left in a filthy state.

A survey of more than 300 office-based staff from the capital found many loathe rotten food left in the fridge, not being able to wear comfy clothes and colleagues calling in sick – even though they suspect otherwise.

But 59 per cent have been quick to make their feelings known by either leaving a passive-aggressive note or sending an office-wide email.

Cigarette butts scattered outside, people not locking up properly, and a mess in the lunch communal areas are the top reasons why workers feel compelled to call out their peers.

But while 55 per cent reported their messages were successful in stopping what they deem to be poor office etiquette, for 38 per cent the problems still persisted.

Warding off irritating colleagues

The research was commissioned by The Workplace Depot, who have created a hilarious compilation passive-aggressive notes and emails to stick up or send around your own office to ward off irritating colleagues.

A spokesperson for the industrial supplies provider said: “Offices can often be a funny old environment when social norms don’t always translate into those four walls where we spend much of our lives.

“And when forced to encounter a multitude of small bothers on an almost daily basis, it is no surprise it drives many to snap.

“The way many choose to express their displeasure is in the quintessentially British form of the painfully polite passive-aggressive note or email.

“Yet, these will always have a serious undertone of hostility, which for the reader – or even worse, the culprit – can be quite alarming. Although, often rather amusing too.”

The right office conduct

The study also found 62 per cent of London’s office workers have confronted a colleague about their poor conduct in the workplace – with 55 per cent of these claiming this intervention caused them to stop.

However, five per cent overstepped the mark and even received disciplinary action following the quarrel.

While nearly a third (32 per cent) have considered leaving their job because of their office bugbears, with one in five (20 per cent) making the leap to a new role.

Unfortunately, the grass wasn’t always greener as 36 per cent claimed their new place of work was about the same or even worse than what they had left behind.

Rarely engaging with colleagues ranked as the most common way workers counteract their annoyances.

While 42 per cent put on their headphones and listen to music to avoid irritations, and 36 per cent will just dodge visiting the office as much as possible.

In fact, 53 per cent even admitted they are less productive when they are in the office because of what is winding them up, according to the survey conducted via OnePoll.

The spokesperson for The Workplace Depot added: “It’s clear from these findings many of the UK’s white-collar workers are pretty fed-up with what is going on around them between 9 and 5.

“But like many things in life, if you don’t address the problem, it will only get worse.

“It is important for these workers to stand up for what they believe is the right conduct for an office – even if that is hiding behind a passive-aggressive note.”

Top 50 gripes for London's office workers

1. People speaking loudly
2. People who take things from my desk without asking
3. Printers breaking down
4. People who have conversations right behind your desk
5. Filthy toilets
6. Food left in the fridge which is past its use-by date
7. IT issues
8. People who leave dirty dishes in the work sink
9. Not being able to wear comfy clothes
10. The temperature always being too cold
11. When someone calls in sick when you know they aren't ill
12. Computers being slow
13. People who hang up the phone without saying goodbye
14. Someone taking my chair while I am away from my desk
15. People coming into work when ill
16. People who print reams of paper from the printer
17. People who open the windows without checking with people nearby
18. Having to talk to people about their weekends/plans even though you don’t care
19. People who start a phone conversation without any pleasantries first
20. Someone sucking up to the boss
21. Computers crashing
22. People who send passive aggressive emails to the entire office
23. Having to sit in small meeting rooms with lots of people
24. Not being able to have daytime TV on in the background
25. Smelly toilets
26. People not cleaning the microwave when their food spills
27. People not putting a new toilet roll on the holder
28. The temperature always being too hot
29. Noisy hand dryers going off every few seconds
30. Grubby fingers on shared keyboards/mouse if hot desking
31. People who get too close when talking to you
32. Someone cooking smelly food at lunch
33. Lights left on in rooms unnecessarily
34. Fridge being left open
35. People who now refuse to be part of the tea round
36. The phone ringing constantly
37. People who sing or whistle without realising it
38. People bragging about how well their work is going
39. Having to get into a crowded lift
40. Personal belongings left to gather dust on desks
41. No greenery, like plants
42. People putting food in bins right next to your desk
43. Hotdesking
44. Not being able to listen to music
45. Someone stealing your favourite cup
46. People who sing at their desks
47. There never being any parking spaces
48. Not being able to wear slippers
49. People leaving dirty towels in shared showers
50. Empty milk cartons left in the fridge