By Kyle Emshwiller
Forget about elevator pitches, it seems like more and more workers are using those few seconds to annoy coworkers and execs, rather than to network with them.
A recent CareerBuilder survey asked respondents to share odd behaviors they have witnessed in the elevator. We were shocked at some of the responses, especially from an HR prospective. Here are a few examples.
- “Pantsing” a coworker
- Fist fighting
- Showing someone a rash and asking for a diagnosis
- Moving the entire contents of a coworker’s office into the elevator, including the desk
- A woman with her arms full of papers using her head to keep the doors from closing on her
The survey also ranked the top most annoying behaviors of workers in elevators. Not surprisingly, talking on a cell phone was at the top of the list (35 percent), followed by not holding the door open when someone is running to get on (33 percent), and standing too close when there’s ample room in the elevator (32 percent.)
In addition to being a source of annoyance, lifts also invoke fear for some employees. Sixteen percent of workers said they are afraid of getting stuck in an elevator due to a malfunction.
Have you had any issues with elevators at work? Tell us below.
I once came to work on a Sunday when no one else was in the building. Immediately after the elevator doors closed, the electricity went off. There was no phone in the elevator, and I began to imagine folks finding me on Monday morning–NOT a pretty picture. Thankfully, the electricity went off before the elevator had lifted. I was able to pry open the doors and get out. I decided there was nothing I needed to do at work that day after all.