The term toxic coworker is a bit overused, and most people use it for people with whom they can’t agree, and its real meaning is lost. But there is a difference: you may have a colleague you may not like to work with, and there are people whose very existence and presence around you make you super annoyed and miserable. Toxic coworkers try dominating you under various situations, brigand bringingtive energy to drain you of your positive energy.
What are toxic coworkers?
Toxic coworkers represent colleagues at work who methodically and selfishly act as cancer in the workplace and actively disrupt the working peace. Usually, poisonous coworkers discriminate, gossip, create clans, constantly complain, and blame others.
Are you currently struggling in a situation where your coworker belittles you in front of your colleagues and boss? Or constantly sabotages your work or deprives you of the information required to complete your job. They often spread rumors and lies about you when you have trusted them; they involve trash-talking behind your back. For now, if you know such a person, avoid sharing details about personal stuff.
On a bad day, they might even try gaslighting you, making you think your work is worthless, even when everyone else is supportive and assures you that you know how to do your job and you’re good at it. And if your work is worthless, you won’t be where you are currently.
To find out how to deal with bullying in the office, here is a piece of advice from experts who have helped many people deal with bullying at work.
In the first step, you need to figure out the type of toxic coworker.
Then, it would help if you analyzed situations and signs that you are Dealing With a Toxic Person:
In the next stage, that kind of people will not be your friends, and you need to realize that:
How to Deal with Toxic Coworkers?
To deal with toxic coworkers, you must focus on controlling yourself, directly conversing with them, setting boundaries, and talking to your human resources department (or any third party). Finally, don’t stay in a don’ticc workplace; change your job or position.
Below are tips on how to respond to toxic coworkers: Don’Oversharearr. The first advice is to check how much personal stuff you wish to put out among your colleagues. It doesn’t necessarily mean stopping yourself from sharing things with your coworkers; it is about controlling the image you want to project on others.
Before you share any information, reflect upon how much information you wish to reveal about yourself to your colleagues. This suggestion helps you protect yourself from any disinformation that may spread and people’s perceptions of your capabilities.
Dealing with Gaslighting:
Gaslighting
is purposely/unconsciously psychologically changing your perception of things. It is done chiefly intentionally, but sometime,s someone might do it unconsciously. If there is any suspicion that someone might be doing this to you, the best way to recover from any damage that has already been done is to look for a third party that will act as an arbitrator.
Be Vigilant for Any Signs:
Experts say that if someone who identifies as an extrovert withdraws from situations, their boundary might have been breached. Then, it would help if you tried to analyze how a relationship with a colleague might impact your emotions and how it is changing you personally. Suppose you are introverted and find yourself reaching out and mixing with an unusual number of people. In that case, it also shows how your boundaries have been breached significantly.
Dealing with Crossed Lines:
How do you deal with a situation where someone has crossed a line or undermined you somehow? Do you call it out then and there or when you are more comfortable? Experts suggest a casual and straightforward way of dealing with this situation, such as going to them directly and telling them how things between you and your colleague are not working out and how you can address the problem. However, if your coworker isn’t mature enough, you can try using a third party.
Including a Third Party:
Inviting a third party to solve your problems may not be your first impulse, as it is unnerving. But asking a third party, like a human resource manager or your supervisor, to step in is an effective method of finding a way out of your situation and setting accountability for all the parties involved. It will be crucial if the current situation is not documented anywhere.
Getting someone involved in the situation is better so that the relationship between you and your colleagues doesn’t become dysfunctional. It is necessary to ensure that your colleagues don’t feed. To ensure this, experts suggest opening the conversation by emphasizing that getting someone else involved will benefit both. Please ask someone who has no conflict of interest or supervises either of you.
Making Your Peace With It:
Taking the first step of talking to a coworker you find challenging to work with might seem scary. Don’t worry; it may take several attempts to develop a connection, resolve the issue, and get out of the situation. You must be sure you don’t let the coworker gain control over you and make you miserable.
After leaving Wells Fargo Bank in 2014, Daniel began a career as a finance consultant, advising companies and individuals on economic policy, labor relations, and financial management.
At Nimblefreelancer.com, Daniel writes about personal finance topics, value estimation, budgeting strategies, retirement planning, and portfolio diversification.
Read more on Daniel Smith's biography page.
Contact Daniel: daniel@nimblefreelancer.com
