Watch out for these red flag in your co-workers

According to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, nearly 45 per cent of Indians dread going to work owing to poor workplace culture. A work environment is defined by the people that are a part of it—those in the positions of authority, team members and even those on the lowest rung of the corporate ladder. A survey conducted by Flexjobs in 2022, stated that 62 per cent of people quit their job because of toxic workplaces. All too often, the fast-pacedness and demanding nature of our work gets the better of nearly all of us, which can surface in the form of a red-flag-kind-of-behaviour. It becomes important to take a step back once in a while to keep such behavior in check and navigate our way through dealing with all the various kinds of people we’re likely to encounter on a day-to-day basis. From the passive aggressive colleague to the micromanager—here’s a list of red-flags to watch out for in your coworkers (and sometimes in yourself too).  

The one who can never be wrong 
We’ve all had to deal with the one co-worker who is a know-it-all. They’re the ones who refused to accept their mistakes at work, can often be condescending in the way they talk and other mannerisms including those that ensure you know that the workplace would barely survive without them. As annoying as they can be, and as much as you may want to bring it to their notice, chances are that they won’t care (at all). What you can do instead, is keep your interaction with them to a bare minimum and set clear boundaries with them. 

The one who micromanages 
What’s worse than a micromanaging boss? A micromanaging co-worker. Hands down. They’re ones who check in with you every thirty minutes for a work update and have an incessant need to be in the know of every little task that you carry out through the day. While such behavior can be super annoying to deal with, this red-flag goes beyond more than just annoyance. According to a survey conducted by Accountemps, 68 per cent of the people stated that reporting to a micromanager decreased their morale. 55 per cent claimed that it reduced their productivity. 

The one who is disrespectful 
Have you ever had to deal with a coworker who overlooks your personal boundaries? The one who calls you after working hours or when you’re on leave? Or even the one who (very conveniently) takes credit for your ideas? Red flag alert. Chances are that they do not have any professional boundaries of their own and don’t expect you to either. We would definitely recommend being firm about your boundaries and speaking up for yourself when necessary and be recognized for your work and ideas. 

The one who always asks for help
Don’t get us wrong when we say. In fact, Simon Sinek once said, ““The ability for a group of people to do remarkable things hinges on how well those people can pull together as a team.” Helping co-workers and team members for a better results is great. But when certain co-workers start taking it for granted, you need to know that it’s time to stop. And here’s the thing, requests for help are often sugar-coated with compliments such as, “You’re so quick at your work,” or “You’re so good at this,” which can often convince you into completing their for them. 

The overly competitive one 
Competition is great. But it can quickly go from healthy competition to toxic and overwhelming situations. Think about that co-worker who gets jealous when you do well at work, or would do anything to bring you down. This is not only unhealthy for you, but also for the team and would result in an overly negative working environment, where you feel undervalued, and pressurised. 

The one with an erratic temperament 
We’ll paint a picture for you: A crisis arises at work, and instead of dealing with the situation with a solution-oriented and calm mind-set, a co-worker is in a state of panic and frenzy. Those co-workers who portray an erratic temperament, who can go from being angry in one moment, panicked in the next and totally composed in the few moments after can be difficult to work with for several reasons. One, instead of being focused on the impending situation at work, you’re trying to reason out with your co-worker. Secondly, their quickly changing emotions can affect your mood and ability to deal with the situation too.