Almost every office has one or two workers who seem to get on everybody’s nerves. While you may consider yourself as a tolerant person, there’s something about the obnoxious characters in your workplace that triggers your feelings of wrath, and it can be difficult for you to work with them.
However, there are ways to deal with your annoying co-workers while keeping your dignity and composure. Whether it’s the lecherous guy, the gossipy girl, or the office know-it-all, it’s possible to coexist with even the most infuriating officemates in your organization.
Here are the most annoying co-workers and how to deal with them.
The Gossip
This type of co-worker can rival TMZ with all the things that he or she knows—or claim to know—about other people. Gossips almost never talk about something good, like a well-deserved promotion or witnessing an act of kindness. Instead, they live for drama and scandals, so the juicier, the better.
Gossips are experts at getting a person’s trust, so they could spill your secrets to anyone, anytime. To deal with this annoying co-worker, don’t encourage them to talk about the latest hot topic. Politely cut them off and say that you’ve got something to do. And never, ever tell them your secrets.
The Better-Than-You Co-worker
This type of person literally thinks that he or she is better than anybody else. People like this will brag about their connections, their friends, their assets, and they will try to one up you any chance that they can get.
For instance, if you tell your co-workers that you were at the beach during the weekend, Better-Than-You will say that he or she has had a better weekend and was at an exclusive spa. Don’t try to engage in a debate with this type of co-worker, as there’s no point in doing so.
The Creep
The Creep has a high opinion of himself and thinks that he’s God’s gift to women. Unfortunately, this overconfidence also comes with inappropriate behavior, and he will try to flirt, make innuendos, or even touch you without your consent.
Never encourage the Creep’s behavior. Tell him that he’s making you uncomfortable, and he’ll back off. If he persists and tells you that you’re no fun, remind him that there’s such a thing as sexual harassment.
The Attention-seeker
The Attention-seeker always seems to be the loudest in the office. They talk loudly on the phone, they make sure that everyone hears details about their latest dating disaster, and so on. They also usually dress for attention, and oftentimes, it can be impossible to look away. This type of co-worker is also usually involved in office drama, and would always get into arguments with other people.
To deal with the Attention-seeker without causing further drama, be nice, but tell them that you’re busy and that you really need to get back to work. You can also jokingly remind them to tone it down a bit, and if you do it sporadically, they may get the idea and start to mellow down.
For more, check out Jobs & Hire’s report on simple ways to boost your confidence at work.
