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Mentorship November 9, 2016
The woman who sits two desks away from you always manages to reject your ideas during office meetings and the man who sits across from you is overtly flirty. As a woman in the workforce, you see the same faces five days a week, so it’s inevitable that you won’t get along with a few of them.
As many as 60 to 80 percent of all difficulties in organizations come from strained relationships among employees, so you’re not the only one feeling like your coworkers are annoying. Here are a few steps you can take to relieve some tension when you have had enough with your coworker.
After commissioning a study on employee productivity and conflict, CPP Inc. researchers found that in 2008, U.S. employees spent 2.8 hours per week dealing with conflict. These hours totaled to about $359 billion in paid hours or the equivalent of 385 million working days.
You can waste a lot of your time arguing pointlessly with a coworker. The best thing to do in these situations is to pinpoint the issue in your relationship. If the issue interferes with your productivity, take further action. Time is money, ladies! Don’t let conflict keep you from reaching your goals.
READ MORE: Why Working Women Should Play Chess
If you find yourself letting small things about a coworker get to you, then you might want to reevaluate your outlook. Jealousy is common when your coworkers leave you in the dust with certain promotions or opportunities. Don’t forget that you were hired for your position for a reason. You are definitely qualified and incentives will come when you are focused on your own duties, so don’t get caught up in what happens to others. Your time and energy can be put to better use.
Don’t resort to gossiping and spreading rumors about the people who bother you at work. Confrontation is never easy, but it will most likely evoke the most honest and genuine answers. Voicing your concerns might lead to understanding between you both. How you feel about someone might lead to them understanding your position.
READ MORE: Why Gossip is Passé and How to Stop
This golden rule we all learned during our toddler years is a tried and true method of connecting with other people. If you want respect from others, you have to give it to them first. This could be the key to success in your career; when you lend a helping hand, others are likely to reciprocate. Make sure that your respect, generosity and kindness is genuine; nothing is more transparent than being fake.
If you and a coworker have addressed an issue and still can’t get on the same page, understand that not everyone will have the same opinions and beliefs. While this may not be your ideal solution, the ability to cope is an indicator of good character. Even thought you might not get the complete answer that you want, it’s a better solution than keeping the argument up in the air.
READ MORE: 5 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Relationship with Your Boss
As a last resort, go to your supervisor or boss and hash out your concerns and disputes. He or she is there to help you resolve issues so that you can get back to work. After all, a conflict that hinders your productivity is just as much your boss’s business as it is your own. You should, however, approach your employer with maturity and professionalism so that you don’t sound childish.
Conflicts with your coworkers are difficult to deal with, but there are ways to responsibly approach the issues so that you are creating a better working environment for yourself and your colleagues in the workplace.
