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People join companies and leave managers. It’s an axiom whose one version or the other you will spot every day. But blaming the managers for attrition is like saying Russians were responsible for Donald Trump’s 2016 win.
Agreed, they might have played a big role. But that was not the only reason for his win. Similarly, terrible bosses might be the number one reason for spooking off employees, but there are other factors too. And one of the most overlooked factor is the presence of toxic coworkers in the team.
When you are spending a third of your life at the office, the workplace environment has a tremendous impact on your wellbeing. And the workplace is all about the interactions you have with your colleagues. If your teammate reeks of negativity, your work life, and in turn, your personal life will get affected. After all, you are the average of five people you spend time with. You don’t want to be an “average toxic person.”
Toxic coworkers not only make your life difficult, they also impact the team’s performance. According to one research, the difference between the highest and the lowest-performing team is often the relationships within the team. Not a few relationships, but all of them. So it takes only one toxic employee to destroy a high-performing team.
The adage “a rotten apple spoils the bunch,” has survived the test of time for a reason. Just like how the “People join companies and leave managers” has survived.
And unlike your toxic friends, you can’t turn your back towards your teammates. You have to deal with them every day. So, here is a list of seven common habits of toxic coworkers, and tips on how to tackle them.
1. Acting like they are your boss
One of the common habit of toxic coworkers is to pass orders. They act like they are the boss. As if one wasn’t enough.
Their routine includes bullying, ordering you around, interrupting your presentation to make their point, boasting about their managerial skills…
