I have a problem with a co-worker who pops and snaps her gum?

Question

all day. I have asked her 4 times to please stop and have had a supervisor get involved once. The gum was quiet for a week but its back today. She is doing it on purpose at this point to piss me off or in some way to say "Your not going to stop me from chewing gum". I am not the kind of person who gets bothered by alot of things but I cannot tell you how distracting and annoying it is. Does anybody have any good ideas of what I can do ?

Answer 1

I know it's difficult, but don't react in any negative way. Go with it. The thing that would hurt her most is seeing you not get bothered by what she's doing. Wear ear plugs if possible or hum a song, she'll really get bothered because she's not getting your attention.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, if the supervisor does not intervene AGAIN and forbid her to chew gum, she is probably going to continue doing it. Why people like this want to annoy others is beyond me, as there are so many other more interesting things to do in this life. Anyway, try as best you can to tune out. The more annoyed she sees you become, the more she is going to pop and snap her gum, which is I agree, a thoroughly annoying and rude habit, not to mention distracting. She sounds like she is playing little games and delights in annoying you. Is there some way you could move away from her, such as change desks or whatever? Could you work with the supervisor on this (changing locations)? Is it possible you could appeal to the supervisor again, telling him or her that you can no longer get your job done with this distraction going on? Hint that you are being driven to the point you may need to get medical help for your nerves (just hint at this). If all of this is to no avail, I would get earplugs because the gum snapper will do this forever, until that is, she gets a good case of TMJ, which may slow her down.

Answer 3

I also had this issue, but it was easier for me as it was clear that I did not care for her that much. She was also the girl who wore so much perfume I had to leave work at times with a migraine.

I just sat down and told her how distracting it was for me and how others as well as myself were annoyed by this behavior. She didn't seem to care at first, but I told her again how unprofessional it was of her to chew and pop her gum the way she was. I had to repeat myself several times and like a mother and her child, she finally gave in and stopped bringing gum to work.

As someone noted above, it really and truly is your problem not hers. Although what she is doing is EXTREMELY rude and distracting not to mention unprofessional. She should be aware of that and put her pettyness aside and give up the cud chewing.

Answer 4

This may be underhanded, but since she's obviously doing it on purpose, get a friend or two to pose as customers or clients and have them complain that she was very unprofessional when dealing with them, due to her gum smacking.

Or, get others in your office involved. It probably bugs a lot of people, they're just not speaking up. Go to your boss as a group and demand she not be allowed to chew gum.

Answer 5

I can't bear the sight of people chewing gum. It's a horrid habit which has come to the UK from the USA, like many other things. People chewing in public remind me of cows chewing the cud. Not just that, many of them stick their gum under furniture and it can stick to clothing. It's rude and inconsiderate. Can you not speak to the supervisor again?

Answer 6

It sounds like she doing it just to piss you off now. So reverse it go buy her a pack of gum and make a joke out of it. once your on her good sit she will be more tolerant to your needs.



If that doesnt work ask supervisor to move her to another area. And as a last resort knock that gum right out of her mouth with a good right cross. (thats a joke)

Answer 7

Ask for a change of cubicle.

Start an irritating sound of your own to irritate her back eg. each time she snaps or pops her gum, ring a bell or your keys. Each time she pops, bang your ballpen on the table to make a loud noise. Keep it up and those other co-workers around you will be begging both of you to stop. In that way you got her to stop too.

Answer 8

Too bad you mentioned it to her directly, as it has just p*ss*d her off.

Go to the supervisor, and explain that she still does this, and it's very distracting; it prevents you from concentrating on your work.

It is, by rights, the supervisor's responsibility. That's the person who needs to lay down the law with her, if she refuses to stop.

After all, your boss needs you to be able to do your work, and so needs to deal with problems that prevent you from giving your work your full attention.

If your co-worker's gum is more important to her than her job, all the better.

Answer 9

well first you have to relax and focus. People are people and they can do what they want. If it annoys you then that is your problem, not hers. This is not meant to be rude, I promise. I am just giving you a different perspective to look at this situation. Maybe you could be sarcastic with her and say off the wall comments. the next time she pops her gum, yell "DRIVE BY!!" and hide under your desk. Or you could say, "Girl, you keep chewin that gum like that you are going to have MAN jaws!". Or you could start singing, "Take me out to the ball game......" Or you could say, "Oh my god, what type of gum is that? It must be so delicious cause I can hear your *** all the way over here!"

You know stuff like that!!

Answer 10

If you want to be mean here is my idea for sweet revenge. Get the kind of gum she chews and chew it up and very carefully drop it on the floor where somebody will see it or possibly step in it, preferably a supervisor. Everybody knows how she chews gum and will blame her.

Answer 11

its bad behavior to chew gum at work. very unprofessional. while u are fuming your work suffers. go back to the supervisor and make it policy no gum. bad on phones or with customers.