Working together in an organization is a great experience, but it can also mean a nightmare, especially if you deal with a toxic coworker. How to deal with toxic people at work is a matter of study. A single toxic coworker can do a lot of harm to the organization and you. Unfortunately, we cannot control the situations outside us, and organizations hire different people.
Therefore, you may have to work with a toxic coworker. So, it is important to know how to identify a toxic coworkers and learn how to deal with them.
Signs of a Toxic Coworker
There are different signs by which you can identify a toxic coworker. One of the signs is that they are a bully. If a coworker is causing trouble for you with their words and harassing you, you know that they are a toxic coworker. Another sign is the argument mentality. The coworker may often complain about you to the boss or the supervisor, yet another sign of a toxic coworker.
Also, if a coworker is indifferent, this is a sign. The faster you identify the signs of a toxic person at work, the better it is for you to tackle them. In this article, we will see how to manage toxic coworkers.
Types of Toxic Coworkers
The Politician
These are coworkers who play politics inside the organization. They often try to be in company with the boss, spread rumors and get the best out of any situation. These coworkers spread false news about another worker and try to influence the boss and get their appreciation in an unethical way. They play politics inside the organization.
Often they tend to disagree with another worker’s decisions. You should know the things to say to a toxic person.
The Rooster
The rooster waits for others to take action and sits passively due to fear of making mistakes. They wait for others to make decisions and only decide on things if no one else does. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for you to know how to protect yourself from toxic coworkers.
The Funeral Director
These are the type of extremely negative coworkers who like to create drama in the workplace. They find problems and often make critical remarks on the activities of others in an offensive way. They are not satisfied with anything and always try to find excuses and demotivate others.
Also, they are not open and only see the negative side of things. Therefore, you should learn how to respond to toxic coworkers.
Recommended Read: How To Cultivate Healthy Competition In The Workplace
The Tattletale
These are the workers who spread rumors about you to your boss. These coworkers often find pleasure in spreading rumors and negative news, enjoying the unhappy situation unfolding from behind the curtains.
The Points Shaver
These are the type of coworkers who note everything they have done for you in their mind and want to be repaid. At some point, they expect that you return the favor they have done for you and, if you don’t, they get frustrated and unhappy and begin to be indifferent to you. How to handle toxic coworkers needs to be studied.
As we know, an organization has a group of people, and everyone helps one another. If someone starts to keep notes of all the activities and wants to be repaid, it contaminates the fabric of teamwork.
The Office Flirt
The office flirts are coworkers who take things for granted and are silly. They are not professional and like to play with things. If you work with someone like this, you may find that the mail you sent was not attended to or the scheduled tasks were not completed. These types of people are often unwilling to be responsible and want fun and excitement at all times.
The Networker
The networker is the type of coworker that spends most of the time networking rather than working on important tasks. They try to make friends with everyone and try to make them happy. When it comes to finishing the work, they think they will be excused because of their connections and friendliness. You need to know what to do when you work with a toxic person and how to deal with toxic people at work.
How to Deal with Toxic Coworkers
You need to be careful when working with toxic people, as they can cause a lot of harm to you. The best way of dealing with toxic coworkers is to establish your identity within the organization. When you establish your identity and other workers know the type of person you are, you are in safe hands.
You need to be honest and ethical, and when everyone knows this, even when a toxic coworker tries to harm you, it will go in vain. Let your boss know who you are and what to expect from you. You need to be setting boundaries with toxic coworkers.
Conclusion
Working together inside an organization is not an easy task. It requires a lot of caution and dedication. Also, you need to be aware of the toxic coworkers around you and effectively manage them so that you are at peace and achieve your full potential. If you do not manage them, then you can get into trouble.
So be equipped and make your work life as productive and enjoyable as possible and take your career to the next level. Dealing with toxic behavior at work is a challenge, but you can make it possible.
