What can I do about food allergies and office noises?
Johnny C. Taylor Jr., a human-resources expert, is tackling your questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world’s largest HR professional society. (The questions submitted by readers and Taylor’s answers have been edited for length and clarity.)
Question: I have a severe peanut allergy and must carry an EpiPen. I cannot be in the same room as peanuts without having allergy symptoms flare up. Co-workers sometimes do not realize how scary things like work bake-offs, company picnics or just going into the lunchroom can be for someone with a food allergy. What can companies do to better educate employees on this issue? How does someone with a food allergy navigate the workplace? – Anonymous
Johnny C. Taylor Jr.: You are one of millions of Americans who have food allergies. That’s why it’s important for colleagues to be aware of how serious food allergies can be and how they can be more flexible and accommodating.
Employers strive to create a safe and healthy space for employees. But, as you might imagine, trying to control every person who comes into an office building can be difficult.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers must reasonably accommodate people with severe food allergies unless doing so creates an undue hardship for the employer. But employers generally are prohibited from asking employees disability-related questions. So if you want your employer to help protect you from peanuts in the workplace, you must alert HR or a supervisor.
You also should be prepared with suggestions on precautions your employer can take to help prevent reac- tions in the workplace. These could include proactive measures such as:
❚ Communicating to staff that a coworker has a severe peanut allergy, offering tips for preventing exposure and educating employees on what to do if they witness an allergic reaction.
❚ Designating a specific area of the office or a break room as “peanut-free.” In cases of severe allergies, an employer can consider a policy prohibiting employees from bringing peanut products to work.
❚ Requiring any foods made for company bake-offs and office potlucks that contain peanuts to be labeled, or banning peanut ingredients altogether.
❚ Allowing employees with severe allergies to work from home, if the risk of exposure is too great.
I’m hopeful these steps – or others like them – can give you the peace of mind you deserve. After all, every employee deserves to feel safe in the workplace each and every day.
Q: I work in a small office where the acoustics are not good. The slightest noise or voice easily moves through the building, disturbing staff and hurting productivity. Our front-office
receptionist clears her throat throughout the day, sometimes as often as once every few minutes. It is extremely disruptive. The other staff feel there is no way to broach this subject without it becoming an HR issue. Is there anything that can be done?
– Suzy
Taylor: HR gets noise-related complaints all the time. And with open-concept workspaces dominating today’s workplace designs, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that office noise has become a common grievance.
How HR approaches noise challenges usually depends on the cause (source of the noise), resources (employer/employee ability to handle the matter) and tolerance level (the degree to which the noise can be endured).
If the noise is the result of an employee’s disability, illness or injury, employers frequently must find a way to accommodate the employee. Some employers have moved – temporarily or permanently – employees with, say, a heavy cough. Alternatively, employers sometimes move employees most affected by the cough to another area. Yet others provide earplugs.
Sometimes the source of the noise is routine, even necessary for getting work done. Still, there are measures companies can take. For conversations that are too frequent or too loud, many employers transmit white (or pink) noise over public address intercoms. Changing the schedules of affected staff can help, too. Even improving the furniture has been a solution for some employers. Cubicle walls can be heightened or thickened to reduce sound. Where permitted, headphone use is another great solution.
When co-worker noise is distracting but controllable, it is helpful for employers to have discreet and respectful, yet frank, conversations with the employee whose annoying snacking habits or personal phone calls frustrate others.
You mentioned your staff is understanding and empathetic. But even in these situations, co-workers may find it difficult to complain about their colleagues. That, among other reasons, is why well-trained and certified HR professionals are in place. I’d suggest speaking with your HR department, if your small staff has one.
Employees and employers can deal with many very pervasive, annoying noise issues by being tolerant, considerate and practical.