Sloppy Work Named Most Annoying Office Behaviour: Accountemps Survey

May 17, 2011 | Corporate Member News

It pays to sweat the small stuff. In a recent Accountemps survey, 32 per cent of chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed said lacking attention to detail and presenting sloppy work are the coworker behaviours that annoy them most. Gossiping or engaging in office politics also are pet peeves, cited by 24 per cent of respondents.

The survey was developed by Accountemps, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on interviews with more than 270 CFOs from a stratified random sample of Canadian companies with more than 20 employees.

CFOs were asked, “Which one of the following coworker behaviours annoys you the most?” Their responses:

Lacking attention to detail, sloppy work	32%
Gossiping or engaging in office politics	24%
Missing deadlines	18%
Being perpetually late	15%
Presenting other’s ideas as one’s own	8%
Don’t know/other	3%
	100%

“Today’s office is a fast-paced work environment, but remembering to take an extra beat to check your work will ultimately deliver better results for both you and the organisation,” said Kathryn Bolt, Canadian president of Accountemps. “Ensuring your work is up to par will establish you as a valued colleague and help you advance your career.”

In regards to office politics, Bolt noted that although there is a certain level of politics within every company, it is best for employees to remove themselves from those situations.

“Engaging in any form of gossip in the office could damage your credibility,” she said. “Trust is an essential component in building solid relationships with coworkers.”

Accountemps has more than 350 offices worldwide and offers online job search services at http://www.accountemps.com/. Follow Accountemps for workplace news at twitter.com/accountemps.