Women are marginally more likely to find small talk more annoying than men with 61% admitting they dislike taking part compared to 58% of men while people over 70 find it ‘dull’
Six out of 10 people get wound up by small talk and secretly hate it even though they do it, a poll found.
Researchers found 60% of those asked find polite conversation “difficult” and “annoying”.
Among the most irritating phrases are traditional ice-breakers like “nice weather,” “how is work?” or “did you have a good Christmas?”
Only 11% said they are not irritated by similar conversational openers like “how was the holiday?” or “You’re looking well” while another 24% said they would rather not put up with such chat at all
Women are marginally more likely to find small talk more annoying than men with 61% admitting they dislike taking part compared to 58% of men.
Older people are the least likely to want to take part in it with eight out of 10 of those in their 70s finding it “dull”.
Online meeting company Meeting Canary asked 1,016 UK adults about their attitudes to small talk to come up with the findings.
Company CEO and founder Laura van Beers said: “We pride ourselves on our ability to make polite and inoffensive conversation withy anyone and about just about anything.
“But beneath the surface our research shows people are itching to disengage and get on to more meaningful topics of conversation that really matter to them
“Behind the superficial smile most of us just don’t like small talk – but we all do it.”
Some 80% of the so-called Silent Generation – those aged 78 and over – said they don’t want to indulge in it.
Baby Boomers – those aged over 59 – are not far behind with 69% admitting it annoys them.
Generation X – those aged 43 to 58 – also have a hard time with it with 63% disliking making small talk.
That compares with 56% of Generation Z – those aged 16 to 26 – and 55 per cent of Millennials – those aged 27 to 42 – and the least likely generation to have a problem with making small talk.
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