5 Ways to Deal With an Annoying Colleague

The atmosphere in the team is the basis for good work. You will inevitably come across someone whose character and attitude are not at all compatible with yours in your career.

Every HR manager, boss, or project manager must learn how to deal with wayward subordinates. After all, solving problems is one of the primary tasks of the HR manager. Here are ways to deal with embarrassing colleagues. You cant choose your co-workers. Unfortunately, some people's habits are unbearable. What to do in such situations - be silent or react?

Annoying colleagues: Why do some colleagues tear the last nerve?

The bad news first: There are annoying colleagues in almost every job, and the bigger the team, the greater the likelihood that at least one of them will make you feel like your nerves are not strong enough to last the next day survive. As soon as this colleague enters the room in the morning, you roll your eyes, want to run away so as not to start the day annoyed, and have to hold back to not take out all the pent-up frustration on him.

Fortunately, there are two right pieces of news. For one thing, it is usually not the colleague's intention to get on your nerves. However, different personalities, behaviors, and working ways can quickly become exhausting if employees often have to get along with each other 40 hours a week in a minimal space.

What is entirely normal for the annoying colleague makes you mad, and maybe, on the other hand, there is a trait in you that someone else has problems with. Regardless of how obnoxious and annoying you find a colleague, they are not out to drive you crazy or to take away the fun of your job.

That is at least a small consolation, but it is even better: You can learn how to deal with annoying colleagues. Once you know who you are dealing with and how to react to each type, they will not get on your nerves that easily.

Here are his three tips to help any boss deal with the most annoying behaviors of their subordinates:

1. Stay relaxed!

Be patient! If your colleague comes up stupid again and you're about to explode, you should hold back. Try not to react directly, but instead take a deep breath and count to ten. If you have to let off steam, you can briefly go to the toilet and kick the trash can there.

The most important principle when dealing with difficult colleagues is to stay calm - and objective. What your colleague says should never be taken personally and understood as an attack. If you react spontaneously, there is almost no certainty that you will say things that you regret afterward. But once you take a deep breath, the first anger disappears, and you can immediately deal with the situation in a more relaxed manner.

2. Let off steam at home

If you have to complain about your annoying colleague, you should do it at home and not in the office. Blasphemy among colleagues leads to hardened fronts and a bad working atmosphere. Besides, it does not reduce the conflict in any way.

Annoying colleagues are incredibly exhausting, mainly because you spent so much time with them during the week. Still, try not to let them control you and your life. Always keep in mind that, keep distance, things are usually not that bad. You are annoyed by a colleague; you’re not in trouble with a friend, partner, or family member. Sometimes it helps to realize that you don't necessarily have to like your colleagues; you have to get along with them halfway.

3. Work on yourself

Another important rule when dealing with difficult colleagues is: accept your fellow human beings for who they are. The likelihood of changing them is slim. Instead, ask yourself how the person is acting towards you. Part of the problem could also be due to one's prejudices and perceptions.

Think about why you don't like your colleague. Is he just different in his views and the way he works? Or does envy even play a role? Sometimes you are the originator of the collegial problem yourself. Pay attention to your behavior because only that can you change.

4. Clarifying conversation

A clarifying conversation can work wonders. The other person may not even know how they affect others. In a conversation, one should only speak in the first person. Say what bothers you and what moves you and what changes you would like - all in I-messages. Accusations and accusations have no place in a clarifying conversation. Objectively and constructively, it should only be about the behaviors that influence the joint work. A one-to-one conversation is best; criticism at the wrong time and in the wrong place and front of the other colleagues can have the opposite effect.

5. Keep your distance

If the situation is a deadlock and (at least for the moment) there is no improvement in sight, only distance helps. Get a don't care attitude and try to ignore your unloved colleague's behavior as best as possible. So you get angry less, and the problem takes up less space in life.

It can help if you think about something new for yourself that you could do in the office - regardless of your colleague. Just go walking around the block during the lunch break or preparing a delicious muesli in the tea kitchen. When you have something to focus on and look forward to, there is less space in your head for the annoying colleague.

However, those who distance themselves from their colleagues should ensure that they continue to treat with respect. Because only respect creates the basis for an excellent collegial relationship, and maybe you can achieve pleasant cooperation in everyday work.