Dear Dr. Mimi – Is Your Coworker Too Loud?

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Dear Dr. Mimi:
The new person in the cubicle next to me is loud. When she is on the phone, I can hear everything she is saying, and quite frankly, it is distracting. In fact, I find myself waiting to make a call until she is off the phone. We must work together and there is nowhere else either one of us can relocate in the office. Help!
—Quiet

Dear Quiet:
Have you said anything to her? If not, you need to. The next time she gets loud, wait until she gets finished and walk around to her desk and let her know. Feel free to say that you have hesitated to say anything, and that she needs to talk more quietly. Let her know that you are not getting your work done because you can’t compete with the sound coming from her cubicle. If she has a hearing problem, her phone can be adjusted to account for that. If it continues, let your supervisor know.
—Dr. Mimi

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drmimi

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