Have you been keeping track of the number of hours you've spent at work? According to Gettysburg College, the average person will work for 90,000 hours in their lifetime. That's the equivalent of being trapped with an organisation and colleagues for a little over ten years of your life!
With such long hours, it's reasonable to assume that you spend more time with coworkers than with family or friends on workdays. How does that make you feel? Do you get along with everyone at work? It's understandable if you face a little rough patch here and there, because there are so many different types of people you'll encounter.
It's no surprise that colleagues can affect you, just as work can have an effect on your overall health. According to these findings, more than 65% of employees find it difficult to concentrate due to their work environment, and 58% have left or would consider leaving a job due to negative office politics.
Although not all jobs are created equal, job-related stress is fairly common. Many of these factors are related to work-life balance, difficult communication with co-workers, and poor relationships with management or leadership.
This demonstrates that you'll be dealing with a wide range of people at your workplace. Not all, of course, are negative. Some people make excellent employees and can make work more fun and productive!
This person seems to easily gets along with everyone in the office without having to try too hard. Work colleagues simply know that they're nice people. Always positive, polite, and avoid gossiping. You won't hear much from the nice one because he/she only speaks when necessary to make everyone feel at ease, and may even go out of their way to assist those in need.
Nothing seems to float this person's boat. Whatever happened at work, whether good or bad, there's always something negative to say about it. For example, if it's a quiet day, the complainer will rant about how the company isn't productive or profitable. Then, on hectic days, it's a different story, with the company attempting to burn out employees with all of the workload. Nothing seems to be enough, and there's always an air of dissatisfaction about them.
They say that "old is gold." In most cases, that's correct. It can be beneficial to have senior colleagues at work because you can learn from their vast experience and know-how to improve. However, if they become so old-school and grumpy, there might just be a problem popping up in the working culture, especially if there are other employees who are considerably younger. Or perhaps you'll hear about how he/she did their job 10, 20, or even 30 years ago – over and over and over again!
This can be found in any office in any industry. You're bound to come across (or perhaps you might've even participated with!) the gossiper(s). Somehow, it appears that this person is the first to know about everything that occurs, not only in the office but also in the personal lives of their colleagues and bosses. Worse, you're not sure if what they say is true or not, and you know your name is part of their list too!
This person will always have something to say, object to, correct, or argue about – regardless of whether he/she is in a discussion, meeting, or just having a plain ol' watercooler talk with colleagues. This know-it-all frequently believes that they own the world, and are always correct. Woe betide whoever dares to oppose them!
You know this person works with you (there was a company-wide email announcing their arrival)... but when is he/she ever in the office? The MIA (missing in action) is never at the desk when you walk by, and never responds to meeting invitations. So, what exactly do they do at work? Maybe a secret agent? Only they know the answer. Oh, this person may be the type who's taking medical leave quite often as well.
Every time this person walks by, everyone's attention is drawn to them. The "fashionista at work" is another term for someone who's hot stuff. They would always dress up and never show up to work looking like they had just gotten out of bed (as some of the not-so-hot ones may be wont to do!) And yes, they're well-known for being one of the best looking employees, probably winning "Best Dressed" at every single annual dinner.
All this person seems to do on a daily basis is make everyone in their vicinity laugh, or make jokes at the expense of everyone else in the office. It's difficult to tell when they're serious. It can turn out to be a good thing because it makes the workplace more enjoyable to work in. The disadvantage is that it may irritate other colleagues, especially those who are the brunt of the jokes, and lead to an argument.
Also referred to as the boss' pet and the "yes person". Whatever they do or say at work is primarily to please the bosses and stay on their good sides. They're the ones who you will see being favoured to do coveted work, attend exclusive events, as well as may even be allowed to enter the office later and/or leave earlier than their peers. One of the worst things that the person could be doing is sabotaging other co-workers to get ahead, and lying to get what they want.
The kind of colleague who believes that the office, the other coworkers, and even the world, revolves around them. They simply want to be the centre of attention, and they're usually those who are always loud, controlling, and of course, full of "drama"! Simply being in their presence can sap your time and energy at work.
Read more: High Employee Turnover: 10 Toxic Workplace Issues That Cause It, And How To Manage Them
Of course, there are many more types where that came from. Some people may even combine two, three, or more of the types above! It would be ideal to get along with everyone at the office, but that isn't always the case. You're bound to meet some co-workers who, no matter how hard you try, you just can't stand.
If you feel that some colleagues are getting on your nerves, please don’t resort to violence. Here’s what you can do instead:
Rather than putting yourself in a bad mood and sending negative vibes to those around you, simply learn to accept your colleagues as they are. No one is perfect at work, and what matters is that everyone can get along. If not, then talk about how to resolve the problems that are arising among colleagues. Even better would be if everyone can work together to make the workplace a fun place to be. Otherwise, make sure you protect your inner peace and mental well-being, and keep a respectable distance from those who wish to disrupt the office harmony!