Want to punch your work colleague?
Work colleagues can be very annoying, after all you haven’t chosen them, they have just been planted into your world. You get on with everyone usually, but there is one person in the office that drives you mad. You feel so strongly about this person you want to either punch them or put in a complaint but how do you do that? Here are some tips:
Should you talk to your boss or the colleague first?
In most situations talking to the person first and explaining the problem you have with them is the best way to go. However if your colleague is explosive or very defensive your line Manager may be a better route.
What should you say?
When making a complaint focus on what the problem is and how your colleagues behaviour is affecting your work. Do not make the complaint personal but do state what needs to change for you to perform well.
What if this colleague is annoying everyone?
Group problems require group solutions. So if the whole office is irritated by this person then the complaint should be delivered by more than one person otherwise your line Manager may not recognise the extent of the problem. We’re not saying twenty of you should go to the line Manager or confront the individual, its better if a couple of people represent the group.
What if you think talking to the colleague is dangerous or pointless?
Then it really is time to go to the boss, but make sure you do it in the right way, make your complaint clear and concise, you don’t want to come across as a moaner, or someone who simply has a grudge about this person
How do you complain to your Manager?
You must make it clear the issue is a business problem, not a personal complaint about the individual otherwise your Manager may view it as a personality conflict. No boss wants to become embroiled with employee squabbles
What if it isn’t a work problem?
If your colleagues behaviour doesn’t affect their work results in anyway, but is a personal issue, i.e. they smell, they swear a lot, they pick their nose etc, you can still make a valid complaint. Unsociable behaviour is not acceptable out of the workplace so why should it be acceptable in the office.
Is it you?
Are you being picky? Do you really have a personal grudge against this person? Has this person joined the Company in a more senior role than you and you feel you should have been promoted? We all work with people who irritate us from time to time. If it is you then you need to work on your attitude and just let it go, whatever you do don’t let it eat you up.
We hope this has helped you, it is important that you are happy at work after all you spend a lot of time there, but if someone is driving you barmy and making it hard to motivate yourself to go into work there is a problem. Address this problem by making a professional complaint either to the individual or to your line Manager. If the situation is not resolved maybe you are working in the wrong Company.
Good Luck.