You don’t have to like everyone at work. However, if tensions are affecting your everyday life, it might be time to act.
In a recent survey of 5,000 people by Pertemps, we found that around 2,000 people are unhappy in their jobs, with 3% being unhappy because they don’t get on with people at work.
So, what do you do if you don’t get on with a colleague?
Firstly, accept that you aren’t going to be best friends with everyone. As long as you can work together on a professional level, that’s all that matters.
Consider how often you have to work with this person. Do you only ever see them while making tea in the morning? If so, what’s the issue? If it’s rare you come into contact with the person, try not to make the issue bigger than it has to be.
If you do work directly with the person, this is a different story. Try and work out what it is that irritates you. It could be something that other members of your team feel annoyed by too… if this is the case, see how your colleagues interact with the person and how they deal with their tricky behaviour. Discover if your negative reaction is only about you and the other person or if your peers feel the same as you do about them. If most people in the team have the same opinion, try to minimise your contact with the individual as much as possible.
However, make sure you avoid gossiping. Wait for some time before bringing up your feelings with anyone else in the team. Try not to form cliques where all you do is talk about the person you dislike. If you have serious concerns about abusive behaviour, talk to your line manager. If it’s your manager that is a bully, get in touch with HR.
It might be hard but try not to go into work every day with a negative mindset because you’ll feel more wound up and tense about the situation. Reassess your own thought processes and concentrate on your work. Go in with goals set for the day and remember you are primarily at work to do a job and go home.
We think the best thing to do is interact with the nice people you work with and avoid the ones that drain your positive energy. If you have serious concerns or someone is showing bullying behaviour, make sure to talk to your manager or a member of HR.
To find more life at work advice, go here.
