Five Behaviors That Can Irritate Coworkers
How NOT to Alienate Others and Make Enemies at Work
Jun 15, 2009
No matter where someone works – behind a desk, on a construction site, in an assembly line – it’s difficult to get away from the fact that most people will have to interact with coworkers at some point during their day.
Now that doesn’t mean that all coworkers will become the best of friends and work well together every second of every workday. However, it does mean that coworkers need to learn to respect one another and treat their team mates with dignity. With that in mind, here are some behaviors that typically irritate coworkers and actions that employees can take to correct the situation.
Hogging the Limelight and Glory from Coworkers
A big team project; everyone contributed. And, yet, at the end of the day the person who gets the credit for a successful outcome is the project leader, who quickly forgets she had any assistance from her teammates. Or maybe it was a casual conversation during which an idea was mentioned by one person and it winds up as the idea of another.
Share success. Taking all the credit or stealing another worker’s idea can only end badly. It’s so much more fun to celebrate as a team. Be sure to always give credit where credit is due.
Sending Long-Winded Voice and Emails
For anyone who has ever had to sit through a three-minute phone message that rambles on and on without getting to the purpose of the call, they know the worst frustration of voice mail. This technology was never intended for long-winded detail, yet many people still don’t seem to understand this concept.
Email can be equally irritating. It may be because the reader has to drill down through email after email to find the message or it may be that the content of the email is poorly written and organized.
- Speak clearly. Don’t rush, speak slowly and leave the phone number twice; once at the beginning of the message and once at the end.
- Make it simple. Limit the message to no more than 60 seconds and one topic. Consider if a face-to-face meeting might be a better option.
- Stop the forwarding. The more times an email is forwarded, the further the reader has to drill down. Consider cutting and pasting the original message into a new email instead.
- Keep it simple. One or two paragraphs, bullet points to highlight important information. Otherwise consider asking for a face-to-face meeting instead.
Gossiping about Other Employees
When someone spills a tasty piece of gossip about a coworker, the listener should consider what this same person says when they are not around. People who gossip generally gossip about everyone at one time or another. And just because something is said doesn’t make it true.
Nip it in the bud. Employees should keep in mind that they should never say something about another employee that they wouldn’t want said about them. Take the moral high ground and keep from spreading rumors, innuendos and gossip.
Disrespecting Coworkers’ Time and Space
Whether an employee answers their cell phone during a meeting, steps into a conversation in which they weren’t invited, uses a coworker’s desk when they are not around or doesn’t complete one leg of a large project by the deadline, actions which negatively impact another team member’s time or personal space are disrespectful.
- Meet or beat deadlines. No one has extra hours to spare these days, so be respectful of coworker’s time and make sure to complete assignments on or ahead of time.
- Eliminate interruptions. Taking a cell call during a meeting or allowing it to interrupt a conversation speaks volumes about a person. It tells coworkers that they feel the call is more important than the other person’s time. Leave the cell phone behind when engaged in other conversations.
- Ask before entering. There’s nothing worse than going on vacation only to return and find a personal work area rearranged. Coworkers should keep in mind how they feel in this situation and not do it to someone else. The same is true about personal conversations. Don’t enter until invited.
Laying Blame for Problems on Coworkers
Okay, so things didn’t quite go as planned. Maybe the project ran over budget or the team missed the scheduled due date. Working as a team means everyone wins or everyone loses. It’s not about individuals, it’s about the team.
Don’t point fingers. Explaining who is to blame won’t fix the problem. Instead, focus on how to turn it around and lay out plans to ensure it won’t happen again. That may include having a conversation with each team member about their role.
Employees should always keep in mind how their behavior and actions impact those they work with. Being thoughtful, respectful and helpful is what being part of a team is all about.
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