How to make yourself unpopular at work

We are frequently greeted with all sorts of tips and advice when it comes to what we should be doing in the workplace. If you find yourself doing everything by the book but are still struggling to get that promotion or build close relationships with colleagues, here are five things you may be doing that are guaranteed to make you unpopular in the office.

Gossiping

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Whether we realise it or not, we are all guilty of participating in office gossip from time to time. Whilst this is almost guaranteed to happen in any workplace, those that constantly talk behind their colleagues’ back will quickly get a reputation for being the office gossip. As well as being extremely unprofessional, colleagues are less likely to trust you and any chances of getting a promotion are rapidly diminished.

Sucking up to the boss

Nobody likes a suck up. It’s not only fake but it also means that you’re not being yourself. People can normally spot this trait in a person very easily so you are better off being nice to everyone – from the cleaner right up to the MD. Treating everyone else with respect means that they will reciprocate this towards you and being a well-liked member of staff will massively go in your favour when you’re looking for a promotion.

Being Lazy

Laziness definitely isn’t a desirable or respected quality. If you aren’t seen to be pulling your weight team members will quickly start to resent you and if they’ve really had enough, they may even put in a complaint to your manager. In order to be successful in any role, make sure you pull your weight, act as a team player and if you can, help other members of your team when they need it.

Talking too much or too little

We spend a lot of time with our colleagues so it’s important to get along with them. If you are lucky enough to have a great relationship with them however, make sure you leave the personal conversations for the pub. Talking too much about non-work related matters is not only unprofessional but it will also affect your productivity and give your boss the impression that you don’t have enough to do.

On the other hand though, talking too little can make it difficult for colleagues to get to know you and they may even think that you simply can’t be bothered and don’t want to be part of them team. It can be difficult to get the balance right and every office is different. If you’re not sure how to get it just right, why not take a look at the well-liked and respected employees in your office and see what they do?

Moaning too much

Everyone likes to be surrounded by happy and positive people so if you find yourself moaning about everything from the lack of paper in the printer and the cups that have been left out in the kitchen, to your daily commute and even your manager, stop it now. If you really do hate everything about your job perhaps it’s time to move on. Alternatively, if you think you’re moaning just for the sake of it, replace every negative thought with a positive one and you will find that people are a lot more likely to warm to you.

What’s your biggest pet peeve that fellow colleagues do in the office? Perhaps it’s messy desks, talking on the phone too loud or humming to themselves while you’re trying to work. Let us know your thoughts below.