We have found that people really resent it when coworkers get in “their personal space.” Getting into another’s space can take on many forms. If you are standing too close when talking to another person, your colleague can feel uncomfortable and stressed. What makes it hard to know how close is too close is that different cultures require different amounts of space. What is comfortable for one culture may not be for another. Even within the United States, there are differences. Southern people stand closer than Northern people and urban people stand closer than rural people.

If you share a space with another person, be sure to keep your work space clean and clear so that you are not encroaching into others’ work territories. Even if you don’t actually share a desk, your mess may cause the other person to feel cramped and tight.

Smell is another way that space is invaded. In the US, deodorant is a must! Not so in other cultures. When it comes to perfume or cologne, what smells great to one person is irritating to another. Be mindful about how aromatic your food and beverages can be if you tend to eat at your desk. Even if you are willing to “share,” the smell can cause resentments.

Our audio space is also important. Do you talk to yourself? If so, that can bother your coworkers, as can other habits, like gum cracking and finger tapping. Pay attention to your volume when you speak in person and on the phone, especially on your mobile phone. People often speak louder on their mobile phones and that can be annoying to the people around you. Also, speaker phones are great … if they don’t bother your “neighbors.”
You are invading another’s space if you eavesdrop on their conversations. If you are meant to hear it, you will be told. If you inadvertently hear a discussion, keep it confidential. If not, you will soon be branded as the office gossip and a person not to be trusted.

Space is precious and we need to treat it as such!