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The hell of other people in the office

The scourge of the loud or smelly co-worker abated during the pandemic but threatens to return in new ways.

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Solutions are trickier for those doomed to work near the long list of annoying people in the office.

Solutions are trickier for those doomed to work near the long list of annoying people in the office.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY

Pilita Clark

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If you sit next to a window at work, congratulations. Natural light and outdoor views are among the most treasured perks in any office.

Cafeterias, childcare centres and gyms are also prized. But there is one feature of the modern office that has always been hard to improve: other people. Proximity to loud, smelly or otherwise irksome colleagues is a curse that has long been with us. I assumed it would be sharply eased thanks to the rise of working from home. But there are signs that the pandemic is spawning another set of annoyances that could be almost as grievous.

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