7 Things to Never Say (or Do) Around Your Coworkers

Office chemistry can lift your career or slowly sink it, often because of small moments you barely notice.

The line between candid and careless is thin, and people remember how you made them feel more than what you meant.

If you want trust, influence, and an easier workday, avoid the habits that quietly erode credibility.

Read on for seven landmines you can sidestep starting today.

1. Assuming tone over text (and reacting to it)

A quick message can sound harsh in your head when it was actually typed between meetings with no emotion behind it.

When you respond as if you were attacked, you accidentally escalate something that might not have been a problem.

Before firing off a defensive reply, take a breath and reread the message with a neutral voice.

If you still feel uneasy, ask a clarifying question that gives the other person room to explain their intent.

Simple wording like “Just making sure I understand” can reset the vibe without making you look insecure or accusatory.

Over time, people trust coworkers who don’t jump to the worst interpretation, because they feel safer collaborating under pressure.

2. Gossiping “just a little”

Office gossip often starts as a tiny release valve, especially when you feel stressed, overlooked, or frustrated by someone’s habits.

The problem is that “I’m not trying to be mean” does not stop information from spreading once it leaves your mouth.

Even if the details are true, the reputation you earn is that you talk about people instead of talking to them.

It also creates a subtle fear that you will share someone else’s business the moment they are inconvenient to you.

If you need to vent, choose a trusted friend outside of work, or focus on facts with a manager when it affects results.

The safest rule is to speak as if the person could walk in mid-sentence, because someday they usually do.

3. Correcting or calling people out in public

Being right is not always the same as being effective, especially when your correction embarrasses someone in front of others.

Public callouts trigger defensiveness, and defensive people stop listening even when you are genuinely trying to help.

If the issue is small, consider letting it go and addressing it later only if it becomes a pattern.

When it matters, take it private and frame it as teamwork, like you are trying to prevent confusion, not prove a point.

In meetings, a softer approach is to ask a question that guides the group toward the right detail without naming someone’s mistake.

Coworkers remember how you made them feel, so protecting dignity often earns more respect than delivering the perfect correction.

4. Taking credit (or failing to give it)

Nothing poisons a team faster than the feeling that one person is quietly collecting wins that were built by everyone else.

Sometimes it happens accidentally when you summarize progress quickly and forget to mention who handled the hard parts.

Other times it happens when you accept praise in silence, even though a coworker did the work that made the result possible.

A simple habit is to name contributions out loud in meetings, recap emails, and project updates so the record stays accurate.

If you lead a project, share spotlight generously, because your influence grows when others feel seen rather than used.

When people trust you to be fair with credit, they are far more willing to share ideas, move fast, and back you up.

5. Oversharing personal issues or trauma-dumping

Work friendships can feel intimate, but the workplace is still a place where people have to perform, collaborate, and stay professional.

Sharing too much too soon can make coworkers feel responsible for your emotions when they did not agree to that role.

It can also shift how you are perceived, especially if the pattern becomes frequent and people start bracing for heavy conversations.

A healthier approach is to keep personal sharing balanced, and choose timing that does not trap someone between tasks or meetings.

If you truly need support, lean on trusted friends, a counselor, or a private support system that is built for those conversations.

You can still be warm and real at work, while protecting your privacy and letting relationships grow at a natural pace.

6. Ignoring boundaries and time

Respect at work is often measured in small choices, like whether you treat someone’s time as valuable as your own.

Sending messages late at night, demanding instant responses, or labeling a long request as “quick” creates quiet resentment.

Even well-meaning interruptions can derail focus, especially for coworkers who need deep concentration to produce their best work.

When possible, ask if it is a good time, include context, and clarify when you actually need an answer.

If you manage people, model healthy boundaries so others do not feel pressured to be available around the clock.

The coworker everyone appreciates is the one who communicates clearly without making others feel hunted, rushed, or constantly on call.

7. Using passive-aggressive communication

Sarcasm and “polite” jabs might feel satisfying in the moment, but they usually create confusion and long-term tension.

Passive-aggressive phrases signal that you are upset while refusing to say what you need, which forces others to guess your meaning.

Over time, coworkers stop trusting your words, because they learn that your real message is hidden between the lines.

A more mature move is to state the issue directly and calmly, focusing on the impact rather than a character judgment.

If you are tempted to type something sharp, rewrite it as a clear request, a deadline, or a question that moves the work forward.

Direct communication can feel vulnerable at first, but it prevents drama and makes you the person people want on their team.