When you work in an office, it is supposed to be an environment where coworkers help each other with brainstorming and overcoming difficult problems. However, in most offices this is simply not the case, as 80% of office workers report that they are unable to focus on their own work due to distraction from noise created by their co-workers. In these circumstances, it would be natural to think that perhaps co-workers are not so valuable after all.

If you don’t own the business, you don’t have ultimate control of your employees. So even if you take your complaint to your manager, you may not get the relief you seek. That is why it is best if you are trying to find an alternative solution to unwanted noise problems rather than just trying to get rid of the people who are making the noise.

To begin to correct the problem, the manager must be aware of the disruption in the workplace caused by his co-workers. If your manager is unaware of these interruptions, they are more likely to blame you for the project delays.

Once you have talked to your manager, you should now also talk to the noisy coworker. Try to be polite, but also direct. Nobody likes to feel attacked or embarrassed, but most of you co-workers are likely to be reasonable and also face the same hassles as you at work.

If the coworker who is causing the noise does not recognize your behavior as a problem, then it may be best to speak directly to their supervisor. It is the job of a supervisor to step in with solutions and learning opportunities for employees directly below him or her. It becomes your responsibility to talk to the coworker who is being a nuisance. In most cases, co-workers will modify their behavior after their supervisor speaks to them.

Lastly, you can also invest in a voice or “white noise” privacy system. Such systems can hide some or all of the annoying noise coming from your noisy coworkers, limiting your ability to disturb them and helping you stay focused on the task at hand.