Tech co-workers wage Nerf wars in the office

DEAR AMY >> I’m a woman working for a software startup. We are all millennials. I really enjoy my job, except for this: Picture a group of (mostly male) software developers shooting Nerf guns at each other, with Nerf darts whistling past you, hitting windows, office equipment and other employees.

There is nowhere to physically “hide” from these battles. Only a few higher-ups have offices.

I’m caught in the crossfire on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis and have gotten hit by darts multiple times. If it’s somewhere below my neck, it doesn’t bother me as much. But recently I was hit in the back of the head. I just think this goes beyond normal workplace fun, and is a huge distraction.

A few months back another employee got hit in the eye and had to seek medical attention for a scratched cornea.

Am I overreacting here, or do I have valid concerns? Is this an HR issue, or should I accept this as a normal office activity that management knows about? — Battle Scarred DEAR BATTLE SCARRED >> I don’t have much personal insight into the crazy world of Silicon Valley, so I asked my friend, Axios tech journalist Ina Fried, for some advice. Here’s her response:

“While it’s great that your colleagues have so much, um, enthusiasm, you certainly have the right to do your work without having to constantly worry about friendly fire. That said, no one wants to be known as the office killjoy, so some diplomacy makes sense, too.

“I recommend talking to HR privately. Say that while you want your co-workers to have fun, it’s starting to get out of hand and you are concerned for your own safety and productivity — as well as for the company. (Really, if someone already has a scratched cornea they should understand they have a problem.) You can also mention that you value having fun at work and have tried to think of some alternatives.

“Maybe the company can designate a ‘game time’ — that way everyone that likes turning the office into a Nerf firing range can do so. Or perhaps there is one part of the office (away from the desks) that could be used for such activities.

And, if they aren’t open to that, you might want to consider a strategic retreat.”