Office politics can be rough. There will be some people you click with and want you to do well… but unfortunately you may also have some moments where you just don’t click with one coworker. There may even be a coworker who unfortunately may be out to get you. So what can you do? Here’s 9 ways to deal with a toxic coworker who is out to get you.
- Talk it out. If you are still in a place where you’re cordial, try talking about it and see if you can find some common ground.
- Listen and remain calm. Everyone should be allowed to express themselves respectfully, so listen to them and try to see if there’s any truth to what they’re saying.
- Walk away. If you’re not feeling good about the convo or the situation, remove yourself and walk away.
- Keep your distance. Try to limit your interactions to just “hi” and “bye,” change your work schedule if you can or sit on opposite sides of the office.
- Leave a paper trail. If there’s no paper trail, it didn’t happen, so if there’s trouble at work, make sure to communicate in writing.
- Take it to HR. There’s a natural fear when HR is brought up. If you have a HR team you trust, go to them about the problem.
- Keep it to yourself while at work. Don’t talk to any of your colleagues (minus HR) about what’s happening.
- Stay focused. Don’t let whatever’s happening distract you from doing your job.
- Throw in the towel. If you’ve tried everything and it didn’t work, it may just be time to move on.
Source: YourTango