Have you ever had the feeling that a co-worker doesn’t want you to be ahead, or that they don’t like you very much, no matter how hard you try with them? Sometimes co-workers can intentionally sabotage you and be negative towards you because they’re feeling jealous of your accomplishments and don’t want you to get ahead. If you’ve ever encountered a toxic co-worker you’ll know how it feels to be constantly on guard, so read on to find out how to appropriately deal with co-workers who don’t want you to get ahead!
#1 Anything private can be made public
Be cautious of what you say in confidence to your co-workers, if there are any toxic co-workers lingering around they will probably take secrets and private moments and share them with others to ensure you’re not taken seriously in future.
#2 Do favours
If you’re known as someone who will do favours for your fellow employees, people will be less likely to stab you in the back. If there’s still a toxic co-worker creeping about, other employees won’t take them seriously if you’re known as a nice person who goes out of their way for others.
#3 Don’t let it ruin your job
If you know of one or two co-workers who are intentionally awful to you, or say things behind your back, don’t let it ruin your job and don’t let it weigh on you when you get home. Often these people aren’t happy with themselves and their lives, so it’s best to just shake it off and be happy with how your life is.
#4 Kill them with kindness
If you have a toxic co-worker, the best thing to do is treat every nasty word with a smile and offer to help them out whenever you can. If you really can’t deal with them, imagine your revenge and remove yourself from the situation.
#5 Enlist the help of your co-workers
Don’t encourage a situation where people are divided or ganging up on the toxic co-worker, but do ask for advice from trusted co-workers to affirm your feelings and let them know you’re feeling targeted. Once you’ve tried to sort it out informally, then it’s time to escalate and contact HR or one of your superiors.
#6 Don’t suffer unnecessarily
If a co-worker is bullying you or being particularly vicious, there’s no need to suffer unnecessarily, start taking steps towards sorting the situation out, whether it’s confiding in a co-worker or confronting the toxic co-worker themselves. It’s up to you to have a positive work environment, so don’t let other people’s actions ruin your mood.
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