The Most Annoying Types of Coworkers and How to Deal with Them

Cecile Peterkin
Posted by in Career Advice


Do you have a particular coworker that never fails to make you mad? Every single time you talk to this person, you can't help but feel annoyed. Well, an annoying coworker can do many different things to anger you. So how do you deal with someone who always spoils your day at work?

Here are the most irritating types of coworkers you could meet in the workplace and some tips on how to  handle them:

1. The Know-It-All

This person will always find a way to tell you how smart they are to know this and that. When you tell them a particular accomplishment of yours, they surely have something bigger or better.

If you have to work on a project with this kind of coworker, you need to be well prepared. Make sure that you have all documents that will support your ideas. If you are confident that you are right, and other people agree, you just have to nod, smile and ignore your know-it-all coworker's claims.

2. The Cube Invader

This kind of coworker is someone whose only mission is to invade your privacy and personal space. They just pop in from everywhere and, at times, you won't even notice they're inside your cubicle before you.

The best way to handle the cube invader is to use defense as your offense. Take away the extra chair as well, so they won't have a reason to stay in your cubicle for a long time.  Explain that you are on a deadline and don’t have time for a chat now but maybe you could catch up during your break.

3. The Bully

In any workplace there is always a bully who has some kind of authority and takes advantage of it. The office bully is the worst of all types of officemates because they cannot be avoided. The worst thing that can happen to you is to be in a workplace where the Bully is your boss.

When dealing with a bully, remember that it's pointless to engage in an argument. You could either walk away or hit them back with your wit. They will stop bullying you if you show them you're not a pushover.

4. The Gossip

The office gossip simply knows everything about everyone at work. It seems that it is their mission to find out about other people's secret and to share such information with everyone at work. This person will always be around you, waiting to hear something from you, which they can spread right away.

It is always best to avoid this type of officemate. If you are with a group and you see the gossip coming, find a way to politely step out of the group.

The path that we need to take to be successful in our career planning is never too easy or simple. In a perfect world, we would all be given a job that we could enjoy so much and a bunch of people we would love to work with. But in reality, there are those people who would turn your nice day upside down. While there is nothing you can do about their personality, there are things you can do to prevent them from affecting your mood and performance at work.

Photo courtesy of franky242 at freedigitalphotos.net

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