How to Deal with Co-Workers who Hurt your Productivity

Unless you work at home, you probably have co-workers. And if you’ve been working at any job long enough, you’ll know that co-workers come in all shapes and sizes. Some of our co-workers end up being great friends that we enjoy spending time with. Others can be difficult and annoying, and we dread seeing them at work every day. Our relationship with our co-workers is important because it can determine how well we function at our jobs. There are times when poor work performance can be attributed to the inter-personal dynamic that exists in the workplace. It’s important to keep an eye on how you interact with the people at work because there are a number of ways they can hurt your productivity.

Co-workers can prevent you from doing your job properly by what they say to you directly. A co-worker who talks too much can be a big distraction that is difficult to deal with. Some people are just naturally friendly, and others may not have self-filters that prevent them from sharing too much information. We all know those people who blab on endlessly about their camping trips, who they're dating, or a list of high cholesterol foods to avoid given to them by their doctor. Whatever the case may be, time spent talking to a co-worker is time that could be spent doing your job. Interestingly, we don’t necessarily have to dislike our co-workers in order for them to be bad for our productivity. Being a good friend with a co-worker increases the temptation to gossip or to slack off. It’s nice to have people we get along with, but it’s essential to keep things on a professional level while on the clock.

More important than what co-workers merely say, their behaviour in general has the greatest impact on our performance. We depend on our co-workers to do their jobs so that we can do ours. Co-workers who are incompetent or lazy are among the worst kind. They might not even realize they are doing a bad job, but the most awful ones are those who know it and don’t care. Seeing a co-worker who consistently under-performs can be frustrating and demoralizing. It makes us wonder why we should work so hard if someone else gets by without any consequences. But instead of dropping down to their level, keep your head up and continue with your work. You never know when a disciplinary measure may be headed their way, so don’t get caught slacking just because of someone else’s behaviour.

Toxic co-workers can take a variety of forms, and you’ll know them when you see them. Co-workers can be backstabbers who have no team spirit. They may be constant suck-ups who annoy everyone else with their transparent methods. Or they may be fiercely competitive and see you as a threat. Some co-workers may even be bullies who regard the workplace as their personal sandbox to rule over, bragging about how much more money they make than you and telling everyone about their new cars or gas grills. The most important thing when dealing with these people is not to react to their behaviour. These types of people feed off of reaction, so starve them by ignoring them. That doesn’t mean you have to let them get away with what they are doing, but use the appropriate channels to deal with toxic co-workers. Anything else and the situation can degenerate to unbearable levels.

Whether the problematic co-worker is your friend, an incompetent employee, or a toxic individual, you must do your best to remain professional. You can never fully control another person’s actions, but you can manage your own. Your first step should be to talk to your co-worker directly. You don’t have to be confrontational but be firm and make your views clear. Communication is important and things will only get worse if you let things fester in hopes that the problem will solve itself. If talking to your co-worker fails then go to your supervisor or boss. But use this step wisely because your word won’t mean as much if you get labelled as a complainer. And make sure to do it privately to avoid becoming the subject of office gossip. Take the time to document your experiences and include factual examples that prove your case. If you deal with the situation calmly and professionally, then you don’t have to feel guilty about the repercussions. Doing your job properly is essential to feeling happy and fulfilled. In a perfect world co-workers wouldn’t get in the way of that, but if they do, take thoughtful action to remedy the situation. At the very least, you will be able to consider yourself a good co-worker.