Workplace politics can be overwhelming when you’re not prepared on how to best maneuver around them.
Working in a stressful environment may hurt your productivity and the enjoyment you feel for your job. Whether it’s dealing with a difficult co-worker or working for a particularly harsh boss, learn how to best navigate these challenges.
Workplace Environments with Difficult Co-Workers
Collaborating with coworkers can be helpful as you can support and learn from each other. Unfortunately, sometimes that relationship can be detrimental if the co-worker brings bad energy to the workplace. For example, a familiar complex co-worker archetype is the one that often complains about work and the people in the office. This negative attitude can spread and put you in a slump. So it is best to avoid this co-worker, as it can affect your mentality at work. To preserve your state of mind, deflect complaints from this coworker or avoid conversation altogether. They may think negative talk is bonding, but it’s compromising your mental health at work.
Extreme Optimism in the Workplace
Many workplaces claim to have a positive working environment, but how much positivity is too much? Forced positivity in the workplace can manifest in different ways, such as not mentioning complaints or things that are not going well to your supervisor for fear of their complaints being dismissed. It can also feel isolating as you are struggling but are discouraged from asking for help and are told to work harder, especially when negative emotions in the workplace are dissuaded. The best way to combat this harmful work environment is to speak up. Although in these situations it’s tempting to avoid a possibly awkward conversation, it’s best to speak with your supervisors and hold them accountable for creating a healthier work environment. This environment should be a place where people feel comfortable speaking on the issues they face at work in a constructive way that will lead to action.
Employer-Employee Disconnect
There will be times in your career when your supervisor will be someone whose background does not match yours. Consequently, they might not understand your position very well. This can lead to a disconnect where you might feel rushed or unappreciated. To avoid this, look into the background of your supervisor. If you have different specialties, talk to your colleagues or even your supervisor on the best way to communicate with them and explain the projects you’re working on. Put forth the effort to ensure that you and your supervisor are on the same page when it comes to how best to communicate with each other.
If you are a supervisor looking for ways to create a healthy and productive work environment, read this article.