Dealing with Difficult Co Workers

Dealing with difficult co workers can make going to work a very trying experience. After all, once you’re at work, you are basically trapped with these people for the entire day, so what do you do? If you work in a small office, it is going to be hard to avoid them.

You may be reluctant to go to your boss, because you don’t want to feel like snitch. Yet, complaining to your other co-workers does no good and confronting the co-worker who is being difficult may be counterproductive, especially if that person is combative. You can’t hide out in the bathroom all day, and if you have a job that forces you to work closely with the difficult person, you may start considering finding a new job. But, before it gets that far, there are a few things you can do to try to make things better.

Ideally, you should be able to work out the problem with your co worker by talking to him or her yourself on an adult level. Not everyone is receptive to this kind of conversation, however. In the event that you don’t feel comfortable talking to the co worker, then talking you your boss (or theirs, if it’s a different boss) may be necessary. In some cases, it is the only thing that can get the two of you on common ground or at least improve your working relationship. In extreme cases, your boss could even move your work locations so that you don’t have to work near each other. It is definitely worth a try, and the second step up in dealing with difficult co workers.

The third step in dealing with difficult co workers, if the first two don’t work, is going to human resources. This is an especially important thing to do if you are on the receiving end of workplace bullying. Human resources wants to avoid a lawsuit, and if you are being bullied, then you have every right to sue for having a hostile work environment. Even if there is no bullying but the co worker is still difficult to get along with, then human resources can help you come up with solutions to the issue that will work for you.

Finally, when dealing with difficult co workers, if you find that you get no satisfaction from a personal discussion, from your boss, or from human resources, then you may want to talk to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) or speak to a lawyer about suing your employer. It is a last resort, of course, as no one likes the hassle of going through a lawsuit, but if you are really having a problem with a co worker who has crossed the line and continues to cross it and no one at the company is willing to help, then this may be the best choice for taking care of the issue.

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