Coping with Obnoxious Coworker

[tinytherese]

I sack groceries for a living and once a week there's a fellow sacker who drives me nuts. He obsessively talks with coworkers and customers over certain topics throughout his shift despite no one bringing them up or wearing something displaying that they're a fan of the topic. Last week he kept yammering on to everybody about how excited he is about Captain America: Civil War coming to dvd. I've witnessed him talk about a topic to a customer and him continuing to talk about it even though they didn't say anything to him in response.

On top of that, he shows up for his shift over an hour early and then hangs out in the break room until it's time for him to start. So I try to avoid taking my break until he comes down for his shift so that I don't have to listen to him monologue. He's at least in his 30s and I suspect that he's on the autism spectrum like me, so he doesn't realize that he's irritating.

I've read about how St. Therese was able to cope with some annoying habits of the other nuns in her community and i'd like to do the same thing. I just don't know what to do. I'm unable to ignore him and mentally thinking when he's there, "Shut up! Shut your noise hole!"  Does anyone have any ideas?

[xSilverPhinx]

Hmm...tough situation you're in. My sympathies. 

If he doesn't realise that he's so annoying then maybe that's a good place to start? Have you tried telling him just how annoying he is and that people don't care to listen to endless monologues on mundane subjects? 

[tinytherese]

No, I haven't said anything to him. I don't know how to do it without sounding rude.

[Quasar]

I don't know this person, so it's hard to advise.  But based on he information you've provided, I would talk to him like little brother.  Be partient but give clear guidance. You could tell him something like: 

-upon him starting a monologue in the break room: "I really enjoy quiet time at work.  Let's enjoy some quiet time here in the break room."

- "I like that you're so enthusiastic about [captain america] but it's not my thing.  Let's talk about the inner lives of blue birds or the drug trade."

-Give him direction: "Everyone has different interests. Some people aren't interested in captain America.  The only way to know if people are interested is to ask them. Try asking people what they're interested in and then ask them questions about it."

Hope that helps.

Edited September 11, 2016 by Quasar

[Luigi]

Personally, I'd tell your/his supervisor that he drives everyone nuts. It's really the supervisor's responsibility to set and enforce the company's expectations. The supervisor might allow, or even encourage, checkers & baggers to gently remind their co-worker to stay within company guidelines. In similar situations, I've seen people establish a code word as an indirect and quick reminder so as not to shame the person publicly but to alter the behavior - something like "How's the sacking going, Jeremy?" or "Not now, Jeremy," or  "Stick to business, Jeremy/"

 

The other thing to keep in mind is the old folk wisdom adage, "You can't fix stupid, but duct tape can muffle the sound."