6 annoying coworkers and how to deal with them

By Dipti Nair

In every workplace, there are some coworkers who can be rather irritating. Their habits or behavior might bother you and disrupt your work. But don't worry! In this guide, we'll talk about different types of annoying coworkers and give you some tips on how to deal with them. By learning how to handle these situations, you can make your work life a little easier and more enjoyable.

The Gossiper

Workplace gossip is very common. You put a bunch of people in a office environment, gossip is unavoidable. While not all gossip is bad, there are some employees whose sole purpose to come to work is to gossip. This can hurt morale, upset fellow coworkers and distract everyone from tasks.

How to deal with a gossiper:

Try to counter negative gossip with something positive. If you hear something bad about someone, try to say something good about them too.

The Liar

While some employees may tell small lies to cover their failings at work, some may lie to bring down others, and that can cause you, not just your reputation, but in extreme cases, even your job. Handling a lying and manipulative coworker can be frustrating, make you lose your temper and affect your overall morale.

How to deal with a liar

Do not gossip or talk behind their back about their behavior, instead call out their lie. If their actions have impacted your reputation or work, ensure to address it with your manager.

The Complainer

Some people are never happy. They complain about everything – from policies and practices to even the brand of coffee in the pantry. This person doesn’t like changes and can get in the way of progress.

How to deal with a complainer

Ask them to suggest viable solutions for every complaint they bring. Take it up to the management if it’s a genuine complain and you can provide a solution.

The Oversharer

When you spend a large part of the day with your colleagues, its only natural to share some parts of your personal life with them. But some people share too much information be it about their family life, medical conditions or other personal details. What’s worse is that they might be just as inquisitive about your personal life.

How to deal with an oversharer

Every time the discussion starts to get personal, slowly steer the conversation back to professional and work-related conversations without sounding insensitive.

The Pompous

Every workplace has achievers and while some humbly go about their work, some feel compelled to boast about their achievements often accompanied by demeaning remarks directed towards others. Having an arrogant coworker can be challenging and may create tension in the workplace.

How to deal with the pompous

Stay calm and professional when dealing with arrogant coworkers to prevent conflicts from worsening. Set clear boundaries and politely stand up for yourself if they undermine your contributions. If the behavior continues, ask for help from a manager.

The Loudmouth

Some individuals lack awareness of their surroundings and tend to be excessively loud during phone calls, both personal and work-related, or online meetings, disregarding the impact on their colleagues. They will be louder than others and will make their presence known through their volume and intensity. Consistently loud coworkers can disrupt productivity and create discomfort for those around them.

How to deal with the loudmouth

Consider using earphones to minimize the disturbance while working, if confronting them directly is not preferred. Alternatively, convene a group meeting where everyone collectively agrees to lower their volume levels, without pointing any fingers. 

The Bully

Bullies don’t just exist in school. Almost every workplace has a bully who belittles others, demands too much and uses passive aggressiveness to get what he wants. Harassing, offending, excluding or maliciously disrupting someone’s task, whether job-related or personal can be classified as bullying.

How to deal with the bully

Never ignore a bully. Speak up firmly and tell them their actions are unacceptable. If the behavior is repeated and you feel unable to handle it yourself, report to someone in charge, preferably your HR and open an investigation.

There are many more annoying coworkers, but for the most part, you can ignore them. But if your coworkers’ behavior is beyond annoying and has taken a turn into unacceptable and you are not getting help from your HR, then maybe it is time to move on and plan your exit strategy.

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