Almost everyone has to cope with annoyances at work in their lives. Waking up in the morning and dreading the thought that you’ll certainly run into that irritating coworker can have a negative impact on your mood and performance at work.
Although you can’t change your bothersome coworkers’ habits or personalities, you don’t have to suffer indefinitely. While it may take some practice, adjusting how you engage with irritable coworkers may help reduce their impact on you.
Annoying coworkers can wreak havoc on your emotions. They set off something in you that drives you to act or think erratically, which is not a pleasant environment in which to succeed. You may find that your annoyance grows to where every little thing that person does makes you want to rip your hair out.
Unfortunately, you can’t simply remove annoyances from your life, such as bothersome coworkers. Avoiding them at the office or avoiding one-on-one meetings is unlikely to be effective.
Fortunately, there is a technique to turn the situation around that arises from a counter-intuitive realization about dealing with annoying coworkers at work. This article is a full guide.
Table of contents
- Should you tell Your Co-worker they are Annoying?
- How Stay with Annoying Coworkers
- 1. Identify the person who irritates you:
- 2. Determine why this person arouses such animosity:
- 3. Learn to view your reaction to that individual as feedback:
- 4. Switch to white noise:
- 5. Stay away from gossip:
- 6. Breathe, laugh, and stay optimistic:
- 7. Look for ways to recognize their excellent contributions to the workplace:
- 10 Types of Annoying Co-workers and How to Deal With Them
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendations
Should you tell Your Co-worker they are Annoying?
Your coworkers may unintentionally be unpleasant or annoying because they are unaware of how their actions influence others.
Perhaps they are unaware of how they appear because no one has had the courage to tell them thus far.
Confronting coworkers can take your confidence and assertiveness abilities, but you have the right to a quiet work environment. Business Insider believes it’s best to be frank rather than allow your coworker to drive you up a wall.
While there is no assurance that their behavior will change, informing your irritated coworkers that their behavior or actions interfere with your ability to execute your job may assist modify the situation.
How Stay with Annoying Coworkers
Here are ways on how you can stay with annoying coworkers:
1. Identify the person who irritates you:
In the midst of a daily pattern of low-grade aggravation at a coworker’s irritating behaviors and quirks, you may not realize how much he or she irritates you on a deeper, personal level.
Consider the coworker you complain about the most to your friends and family, the one with whom you have interactions that ruin your day or the coworker with whom you would never want to be locked in a packed elevator. Take the time to identify him or her inwardly.
2. Determine why this person arouses such animosity:
Begin by being specific about your feelings for this individual. Rather than making broad comments like “She’s the most obnoxious person on the planet,” pinpoint the feelings elicited.
Irritation? Insignificance? Disappointment? This list might assist you in finding the appropriate words to express your emotions.
You can read this: How To Set Boundaries At Work
3. Learn to view your reaction to that individual as feedback:
Use the other person to serve as a mirror. What can your reaction to that individual teach you about yourself? A coworker’s actions will likely elicit anxieties or insecurities that you wish to address.
If a coworker irritates you because he is constantly stealing the spotlight, investigate whether it is related to your fear of coming out as arrogant if you do the same.
4. Switch to white noise:
Some of the most vexing coworkers are those whose voices, no matter how hard you try, you can’t drown out. You might overhear them conversing loudly on the phone with their spouses or friends or overhear them moaning to others about their professional troubles.
Consider turning on a radio or a white noise machine if you wish to tune her out or at least lessen her level.
Most electronics and home goods stores provide reasonably priced white noise devices. Alternatively, you can use one of the several free white noise generators accessible online.
5. Stay away from gossip:
Annoying coworkers can sap your energy, leave you dissatisfied, and give you the impression that a gloomy cloud is following you.
While it may tempt you to gossip about your irritating coworker with your coworkers, gossip always comes back to bite you in the end.
Also, gossiping can turn the tide and make you into a bothersome coworker in the eyes of your coworkers.
If you have issues, it is advisable to contact the irritable coworker immediately or to discuss them with your direct supervisor or manager.
6. Breathe, laugh, and stay optimistic:
Despite your best efforts, sometimes you have no control over a disagreeable employee. Rather than dwelling on his or her behavior and stewing in silence, consider a more constructive, forgiving approach.
7. Look for ways to recognize their excellent contributions to the workplace:
Total Wellness advocates taking a brief pause, getting some fresh air, and practicing deep breathing when you feel anxious or annoyed.
Deep-breathing exercises can help you refocus and calm down, so you don’t lash out or behave in front of your coworker.
It won’t change their behavior, but seeing a bothersome coworker through a funnier, more relaxed lens may help you deal and preserve your calm.
10 Types of Annoying Co-workers and How to Deal With Them
The 10 types of annoying coworkers and how best to deal with them are:
- Loud talker.
- Political agitator.
- Gossiper.
- Suck-up.
- Overworked martyr.
- Constant socializer.
- Kitchen slob.
- Weekend warrior.
- Over-sharer.
- Know-it-all.
1. The Loud Talker
A noisy talker in your midst can rapidly become the misery of your existence, whether you work in an open workplace or one with cubicles.
The noisy talker is only a stone’s throw away when you desperately attempt to prepare an email, produce a report, or handle a conversation with an important client.
The noisy talker is unaware of your efforts to complete your work or unsympathetic to them. Either way, this type of obnoxious coworker can hijack your mental stream and destroy your morning.
Loud talkers are difficult to deal with if no door separates you from their noise. If the loud talker makes office rounds at a specific time of day, try hiring a conference room to complete important assignments.
Noise-canceling headphones will also come in helpful when dealing with this type of obnoxious coworker (and others mentioned below). You might always go for the straight approach and simply ask them to keep it down.
2. The Political Agitator
The political agitator seeks recruits for his or her favorite political causes within the employees, blind to the fact that this can produce conflict among coworkers–or, perhaps, because it can.
Regardless of where this person falls on the political spectrum, the political agitator will either discuss polarizing matters at work or encourage the entire team to attend a demonstration, flash mob, or protest against increasing the ranks.
Keep it simple by noting, “I don’t talk politics at work.” This will keep these unwelcome invites out of your inbox.
3. Gossiper
The workplace gossip is frequently found huddled with other coworkers around someone’s desk, getting the scoop on which colleague is dating whom, which department may face layoffs, or the questionable behavior of management at the company holiday party.
Because there is always something to chatter about (or fake gossip to distribute), this type of bothersome coworker is always busy, generating distractions for others who are interested in the “news” or don’t know how to say no to it.
The simplest approach to avoid being pursued by a gossiper is to vanish when he or she comes around with announcements or seeking intel.
If you do find yourself in a jam, consider wearing noise-canceling headphones to help you concentrate on your work.
4. The Suck-Up
Every workgroup has someone who believes that rubber-stamping everything the boss says or does is the quickest way to succeed in their career.
Whether continually complementing the boss or volunteering to take on extra projects, the suck-up is always the first to put their hand up.
Most managers know who the jerks on the team are and what they are up to–and some may be absolutely content to have them there, validating their every move.
To counteract this vexing team presence, be open and honest with your boss about your true thoughts and beliefs while simultaneously being a good individual performance and team player.
Many managers will value having an employee on their team who they can rely on to give actual ideas, even if they don’t know who they are.
5. The Overworked Martyr
The martyr is driven to outdo everyone else on the team by having the most difficult, time-consuming assignment.
If you bring up a project you’re working on; the overworked martyr will not allow you to get the last word, saying: “Oh, you have a report to complete? I have three reports and perhaps 300 emails to complete before lunch. I’m quite stressed.”
Simply agreeing with the overworked martyr is one way to deal with them. You could say, “That’s a lot of effort! You should probably go back to work on it.”
A more effective approach would be to direct them toward receiving help with time management and delegating and to advise them to notify their manager if they feel overwhelmed by their task.
Some individuals work to live; the perpetual socializer is not one of them. This coworker searches for any opportunity to shift attention away from their projects by organizing get-togethers and convincing others to attend them. “Hey guys, who’s up for a Sunday lunch, happy hour, or brunch?”
Making oneself unavailable when the continuous socializer makes an announcement—whether by hiding out in your headphones or conveniently needing another cup of coffee when a drop-in is about to occur—can help keep you out of the loop while enjoying the joy of missing out.
If you accept an offer, you can explain that you have other obligations, such as family duties or other things.
You can also check this: 20 Small But Most Thoughtful Thank You Gifts For Co-workers
7. The Kitchen Slob
Every company with a common break room has at least one kitchen slob who abandons meals in the microwave and forgets about food in the fridge until someone else sees that it has turned into a science experiment.
One strategy to keep this situation under control is to persuade the office manager to implement a weekly “clean out the fridge Friday” rule. Any food left in the fridge by the end of the week gets tossed without a second thought.
8. The Weekend Warrior
Almost every office has at least one employee better known for the sporting events they attend on the weekends than for the work they do for the firm. The medals, T-shirts, and racing images adorn their office can identify this kind.
While fitness fanatics may be interested in hearing about the weekend warrior’s newest race times, pre-race meals, and weigh-ins, others in the office may find their eyes glazing over as this individual narrates every detail of last Saturday’s event.
If you don’t want to get trapped again by the weekend warrior, pay attention to what they say.
Most teams have at least one member who does not have a suitable vocal filter. Every detail, whether from a breakup or a shopping trip, will be shared and repeated for everyone within earshot.
The personal over-sharer is also known as the time-suck since the minutes can soon mount up to a squandered afternoon devoured by overly long personal stories.
Handling the personal over-sharer confirms the sentiment while stopping the conversation. “I would love to hear more, but I must return to work.”
10. The Know-It-All
Every group has a know-it-all who may share some of the same traits as the suck-up. This self-explanatory personality type is frequently a jack of all trades but master of none. Nonetheless, the know-it-all wants to seem like the authority on every subject.
When ignoring the comments cannot halt the behavior, consider calling the person’s bluff with other facts that call the know-it-overabundance all’s of knowledge into doubt. It may only purchase a few days of better conduct, but the relief may be worth it.
Conclusion
There’s a slim probability that you and your coworkers get along 100 percent of the time if you work together. You’ll undoubtedly become irritated with each one of them, and there may even be a couple you can’t stand.
It’s common for tensions to occur when working closely with others because of differences in personal styles and goals. We must decide whether to address the problem or remain silent when they do. Many of us hold our tongues for fear of jeopardizing a valuable friendship.
References
- money.usnews.com– Annoying coworkers and how to deal with them
- thecut.com – How to deal with annoying coworkers
- Forbes.com – Mind trick to deal with annoying coworkers
- Themuse.com – Tips for dealing with annoying coworkers
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