How to Deal With A Difficult CoworkerMany times in our jobs, we may come across individuals who are hard to work with. The article below provides tips and suggestions for dealing with a difficult co-worker.1. Identify exactly what the difficulty is! You may experience difficulties with a co-worker for a variety of reasons ranging from a simple personality conflict to a manipulative or back-stabbing situation. Being more aware of what the issue is can help you to better manage the situation and keep it from escalating.
2. If the situation is nothing more than an annoyance, such as a co-worker who complains a lot or likes to gossip, limit your time with them. Make it a point to only contact that person when business related tasks require it. It the co-worker seems to make it a point to unload their verbal barrage on you, calmly explain to them that it makes you uncomfortable and ask that they stop.
3. If the issue begins to interfere with your job, address it with the co-worker first. Ask the co-worker for a private meeting, politely explain your position, and work towards a resolution. If the co-worker is willing to reach an agreement and you see improvement, be sure to show that employee gratitude. By showing appreciation, you enforce the positive changes and can maintain a better working relationship with the employee.
4. If the co-worker refuses to compromise and the issue continues, speak to your supervisor. Take the same steps you took with the co-worker; set up a meeting in private with your boss, explain the situation, and describe the steps you have already taken to resolve the issue.
5. If it turns out that the difficulties you are having are with your supervisor, treat it the same way you would a co-worker; address it with the boss first and move up the chain of command if your boss is not willing to work with you.
6. Don't spread the word! If you have a trusted friend or co-worker, it is perfectly okay to talk to them about the issue in order to obtain assistance or guidance. However, do not discuss or complain about the issue with a group of employees. By doing so, others may begin to find you unprofessional for "gossiping" about it. Not only can talking about the situation with fellow employees make you look bad, but word could get back to the co-worker you are experiencing issues with, which can cause unnecessary conflict.
7. Maintain a professional relationship with the co-worker at all times. If you let your emotions or personal feelings take over, you may find yourself in an unnecessary confrontation or end up with a reprimand.
8. Don't fight fire with fire! If you feel the co-worker is undermining you is some way, don't make it a point to return the favor. On one hand, the co-worker may not realize he/she is undermining you (some people just don't pay attention to what they are doing and how it affects others). On the other, even if it is intentional, by sinking to their level, you aren't doing your reputation any favors and may wind up being the one in the hot seat.
9. Cover your tracks! If you find yourself in a situation where a fellow co-worker is trying to sabotage you, make sure that you document all steps and findings. Keep a timeline of all incidents that occur. Maintaining a paper trail is a good way to back up your side of the story should a co-worker attempt to lay the blame on you.
10. If speaking to the co-worker doesn't work and speaking to the supervisor has proven fruitless, you can always request to be transferred to another department or find a new job. Simply put, if no resolution can be met and you are still miserable, there's no sense in you suffering for it. So tweak your resume and look for something better.