Every workplace comes with a lot of personalities that will definitely influence your work experience. The obnoxious, the brag, the bully, the proud, the arrogant, the selfish, the malice gossip, the Karens of the World! Some of them can become your friends while others will definitely make your life miserable while in work.
Sadly, you can’t just get rid of these people who you don’t like because you are working in the same place. It is also a fact of life in work that you need to get along for the sake of your career.
If you have people at work you don’t like, here are some tips to follow so you can make your collaborations with them a bit more bearable:
Tip 1: Adjust your reactions
Sometimes, we influence the conflict we have with our co-workers through our reactions towards them. Make it a point to ask yourself what makes your co-workers unlikable and see if your reactions are warranted.
If you just think they are “unlikable”, it is important that you adjust your reactions to them and not avoid them. You should also keep your cool even if they annoy you for the little things.
Tip 2: Understand your differences
Each one of us have different personalities which can cause you to class with one another. If you prefer working on your own, you may find it hard to work with someone who is outgoing and prefers working on a group.
On the other hand, people who are outgoing may see you as a boring person to be with because you prefer working on your own. Always be aware of your differences and adjust your behaviour accordingly so you can work with them properly.
Tip 3: Put yourself in their shoes
Working with someone you don’t like can make your work life miserable, but it is possible they are only acting that way because they are experiencing something bad at home.
If this is the case for your co-worker, try to be understanding and don’t tempt them to react to you.
Tip 4: At all times, remain professional
This means keeping personal attacks to zero, no small talk and reduce any unnecessary meet ups to a minimal.
Split up the roles clearly and have someone else to document everything. Everything spoken should be noted down to prevent future misunderstanding.
Even you may be tempted to, don’t bitch about your coworker to another coworker. You don’t want karma to boomerang its way to you.
Tip 5: Reduce your contact
Since you are working in the same place, try to reduce the amount of contact that you have with them by using different routes to the office or change your break times. You can also email them instead of reaching out to them personally.
Tip 6: Delegate your work
If you have to work with them but you think you won’t be able to do so because of your sentiments to them, you can hand-off the task to someone else. This should really be the last resort.
Speak to your team leader about your decision and explain why you wish to delegate to work to someone else. By doing this, you won’t cause problems for the team and avoid getting into a conflict with your co-worker.
Conclusion
When you are at work and have people you don’t like surrounding you, don’t immediately think you are getting the worst luck in your office space. Others also have to deal with co-workers they can’t stand but have to work with. With these tips above, you will be able to deal with them head on and still work with them efficiently for the betterment of your company and your careers.
Relationships at work aren’t easy with a combination of colourful characters, here are some tips I accumulate in the past: How to Reject a Colleague Who Wants to Date You How to Win Your New Colleagues Over in Your New Job? How to Politely Turn Down After-Work Socialising Without Hurting Your Career or Offending Your Coworkers Annoying Office Habits of Your Co-workers
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