The workplace is an environment, where you meet people that you are not interested to spend time with, but because you have bills to pay, or necessity to meet you have to work with them. Ved Prakash Yadav, Copywriter at Dentsu Webchutney adds a funny spin to the kind of people one encounters as a part of #AgencyLife.
We all can agree that we spend most of our time at the office and they are like our second family. And like all families, you can't really choose them!
Having worked in a variety of places, I have noticed that there are always certain 'types' of people. Since it would be wrong to label personality types, as I don’t have any scientific reasons to validate these claims, I share with you some of my own personal experiences and observations.
So, here are some of the common types of people you meet in an agency and tips on how to deal with them.
THE GOSSIP MONGERS
There’s always one person passing on the latest juicy inside news of the office affairs or company’s money woes to the colleagues.
To work with them, avoid negative talk about other employees, or company in general. And if you do, it may come back to bite you, so just cut the conversation short and say “I probably shouldn't know that," or "This doesn't seem like any of our business." Be clear to them that you’re not comfortable talking about and don’t want to know either.
THE LUNCH STEALER
You woke up early in the morning and prepared lunch, you put some salads and Dahi in the fridge, you wait for your lunchtime, but then find it’s been nicked – and there’s only one culprit.
You know exactly who this person is – he/She also takes your green tea bags or coffee sachets without even asking. Be polite while you confront them, but if they repeat the offense, just request the management to put CCTV camera in the kitchen to catch them red-handed.
THE CREDIT-TAKER
They will do anything to take the credit for your work – for new projects, ideas, presentations, and even the organization’s success.
To deal with this type of person make sure you document your work and keep your boss updated about that.
Also Read: 5 cardinal digital marketing trends for Retail in 2019
THE WEEKEND KILLERS
This type of person starts panicking when a deadline approaches and will give you a brief on Friday and expect you to get it done before Monday. They give you a crappy load of work just a week before you're leaving for your long-awaited vacation.
Do one thing; schedule a meeting with the manager and if they say - about the mountain of workload, politely reply with, “I understand, there are many projects on the table but, you agreed to me taking a vacation. Here are possible things we both could do to prioritize the work with other team members." Discuss a feasible work schedule to plan the project.
THE CHATTERBOX
You've got a lot of work to do and meet the deadlines and this guy or girl in the next cubicle just won’t stop talking regarding stuff that you don’t even care about.
The best way to handle a chatterbox is to be direct. If they start blabbing, say “I'm on tight deadline and I need to focus, I can't talk right now." They’ll get a hint.
THE SABOTEUR
Despite your best work, some jealous co-workers will try to make you look bad. If this happens, don’t lower down to their level. Instead, correspond with the person via email to have a paper trail to back you up, if something goes wrong / bad happens between you two.
By knowing how to handle office colleagues, you can now avoid committing mistakes that may damage your career. Thank you, Ved a.k.a Veed Bola signing off. Keep smiling!