AITA: Coworker walked to my cubicle and interrupted me while I was on a work call to tell me I was being too loud?
A routine Teams call in a bustling cubicle farm took a sharp turn when a coworker’s tapping interrupted with a blunt “you’re too loud.” For the woman on the call, trying to dial down her naturally booming voice, the public callout felt like a slap, leaving her red-faced and rattled.
This office skirmish buzzes with the hum of workplace woes, where noise and manners collide. When does a coworker’s frustration justify an awkward interruption?
‘AITA: Coworker walked to my cubicle and interrupted me while I was on a work call to tell me I was being too loud?’
Cubicles are echo chambers for workplace tension, and this loud-call clash proves it. The woman’s effort to curb her volume shows self-awareness, but her coworker’s mid-call interruption—tapping and questioning—crossed into unprofessional territory. Waiting post-call would’ve been kinder, especially since the headset and Teams screen screamed “I’m busy.”
Workplace communication expert Dr. Amy Gallo notes, “Timing matters in feedback.” Studies show 65% of employees find public corrections disruptive, eroding morale. The coworker’s approach, likely spurred by frustration, ignored office norms, while the woman’s loudness, though unintentional, disturbed others.
This reflects broader open-office challenges. Dr. Gallo advises, “Address issues privately and promptly.” The woman could adjust her headset to hear herself better, and the coworker could use a message or wait.
Here’s how people reacted to the post:
Reddit tackled this cubicle conundrum like a watercooler gossip session. Here’s their unfiltered take:
These hot takes spark debate, but do they miss the memo? Was the coworker tactless, or was the woman too sensitive?
This office dust-up shows how fast a small interruption can rattle a workday. The woman’s humiliation and her coworker’s bluntness raise questions about timing and tact in shared spaces. What would you do if a colleague called you out mid-task? Drop your stories in the comments—let’s hash out this cubicle kerfuffle!
