Graceful Tips for Dealing with Your Coworkers

Your coworkers: There’s so much that can be said about them. Perhaps you’re one of those fortunate people who love going into the office each morning because yours rock. Or maybe you have to take a mental break before you walk through the doors each morning because you know in your heart those people are going to make you crazy yet again. Coworkers are notoriously annoying and crazy at times (even if you’re like me and you work from home with coworkers who also happen to call you mommy). Here’s what you can do to handle yours with class and dignity.

The Overly Personal Coworker

She has no problem telling you about her bikini wax mishap yesterday and what happened when she went to the gynecologist last week. She’s the overly personal shares-too-much coworker everyone encounters at some point in their lives. Your best bet is to tune her out and refrain from sharing anything personal with her at all in hopes that she gets the point. If that doesn’t work, use your politest voice and ask her to please, please, please stop.

The Underachiever

We’ve all had to work as a group from time to time and it’s never fun. There’s always someone who’s perfectly happy to take credit and praise for any and everything without actually doing the work. Yet, here you are taking on the excess slack he or she is not picking up and you’re not happy about it. This is when it’s time to start making notes. Create a time log of what you do, how long you spend on it and when it’s complete for everything you do. This allows you to talk to your coworker (Nicely and without anger) about his or her behavior in hopes that it will change. If it does not, it’s grounds for speaking to your boss and presenting your boss with the evidence that this person simply isn’t doing the job and is not benefitting your company in any way.

The Overachiever

He or she wants to be the best at everything. They’re always trying to take on more work, bragging about working nonstop and telling your boss that she’s more than happy to take on your work this weekend since you have so much fun social things that just can’t get in the way of your workload. She’s annoying and everyone knows someone like this. Your best bet is to work hard and give her no ammunition. Just because she’s an overachiever doesn’t mean you’re not great at your job and going above and beyond the call of duty yourself.

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