Ten Ways to Live in Peace With Your Co-Workers

Ever get the feeling that office employees have less personal space than ever? If so, you'd be correct. The average worker is allotted 75 square feet now, compared to 90 square feet in 1994, industry research shows. And 70 percent of Fortune 500 companies have whittled cubicle space from 80 square feet to 25 square feet over the years. This means that the concept of company togetherness is taking on new meaning—to the point where our peers may have more up-close interactions with us than our family members do. Considering how close we've all become from a space point of view, it's best to avoid various office behaviors that are sure to drive colleagues batty. With this in mind, consider these guidelines from the Open Colleges Blog, an online community intended to help users with their personal and career development. The guidelines were compiled by Yvette Maurice, a careers expert for Open Colleges Australia. In the end, it's all about adhering to the Golden Rule: "Do Unto Others ...."