From time to time, everyone encounters people they may have trouble working with. Reading Rachel Zupek’s recent article, Handling the Irritating Co-Worker, I found some great pointers. Here are some excerpts, but please read the whole article for more details.
How to handle annoying co-workers:
“Never be afraid to confront annoying co-workers head on,” says Stephen Viscusi, author of “On the Job: How to Make It in the Real World of Work, “Remember they are peers, not the boss.
Carly Drum, a workplace etiquette expert with New York-based executive search firm Drum Associates, offers these tips if a co-worker is annoying you:
Tip 1: Take a break.
When you are spending more than 40 hours per week indoors with the same people, something is bound to bother you, Drum says.
Tip 2: Be mentally tough.
Don’t let another colleague’s bad habits hurt your concentration and productivity at work. Drum suggests ignoring him or her as best you can and limiting your daily interactions with them.
Tip 3: Discuss the problem with your co-worker in a non-judgmental, non-confrontational way.
Tip 4: Talk with your supervisor.
If the friendly and polite one-on-one doesn’t work (or turn out to be so friendly), another option is to bring up the issue with your supervisor.
“From a managerial perspective, a difficult employee who is insensitive to other co-workers can poison a workplace environment and severely impact inner-office morale,” Drum says. “Effective supervisors know how imperative it is to nip problems like this in the bud as soon as they arise.”
About the Author:
Lisa Quast is CEO and President of Career Woman, Inc. (www.careerwomaninc.com)
