6 Types of Toxic Coworkers (and How to Deal With Them)

There is a reason why we all need to watch ‘Horrible Bosses’ and other movies of its sort every now and then – it’s because, let’s face it, being in an office makes us deal with people who are hardly amicable to us. You may love your job, but that doesn’t mean you get along with everyone at work. And we’ve all had days when we’re not sure how we’ll survive the office environment.

Toxic coworkers are the worst. They are like cooties but instead they are grown-ups that live in your office. You want to avoid them at all costs because they drain you of your energy, can start to wear you down over time, and are just plain annoying! If you’re tired of dealing with these kinds of people, it’s time to figure out what type of toxic coworker you have and what your next steps should be in dealing with them.

The Complainers

These toxic coworkers are easy to identify because they are the ones who make sure you’re aware of every single problem in the office, whether it’s a colleague who doesn’t follow the dress code or a manager who doesn’t appreciate his employees. Complainers have nothing good to say about anyone or anything. They will complain about the boss, the coworkers — even the weather. You may think it’s better to just ignore them, but you’ll need to address their negativity if it becomes a bigger problem for your team or company.

How to handle complainers:

If they complain about something specific (for example, someone else’s attitude), try asking how they would handle the situation differently. If they still don’t stop complaining, talk directly with the manager about how their negativity is affecting others in the office — including yourself.

The Know-It-Alls

You know what I’m talking about — that person who’s always shooting down ideas and offering up advice that’s not wanted or needed. They’re just trying to show off their smarts, but it’s annoying nonetheless.

The know-it-all is the one who thinks that his or her opinion is always right. They’re always there to give their two cents on everything from how you organize your desk to how you should dress for work. You can tell when this person has an answer for everything because they’ll start off every sentence with “I think” or “I believe.” The know-it-all is not only annoying but can also be disrespectful because they usually don’t care about what other people think or feel.

How to handle know-it-alls:

Make sure that you don’t take anything this person says personally. Remember that they’re just trying to get attention by being right all the time — which is why they’re constantly contradicting others or making snide comments about their opinions or ideas.

Don’t try to argue with them —you’ll only make yourself feel stupid and/or frustrated. Instead, ask them questions about their area of expertise and let them impress you with the depth of their knowledge. They’ll harass everyone else less once they realize that you’re learning quickly anyway and are capable of answering questions yourself.

The Slackers

If you’ve ever done a group project in school, you’ve either dealt with (or have been) the slacker! The slacker doesn’t do his or her fair share of the work. This person may spend a lot of time socializing or goofing off during work hours. You might also see them taking lengthy lunches or coffee breaks without permission. They’ll often come into the office late and leave early — or not at all. And if you ever ask them for help on something that they’re supposed to be doing themselves, they’ll usually find an excuse not to do it.

This coworker sits at their desk all day without doing any work. They don’t care about deadlines or getting projects done on time — they just want to get paid at the end of each month. They’re usually very passive aggressive and don’t take criticism well.

How to handle slackers:

You can’t control how other people perform their jobs. However, you can take steps to prevent this type of employee from negatively impacting your own performance by communicating clearly about expectations up front — and then following up regularly with frequent check-ins throughout the project. The best way to deal with this type of person is by setting clear expectations from the beginning and then hold them accountable for meeting those expectations. If they refuse, then it may be time for both parties to part ways.

The Gossips

The gossip can be found in every office — it might be someone who loves to talk about other people or it could be someone who loves to talk about themselves. Regardless, they’re not good for team morale because they either spread lies or complain about others behind their backs. This is the person who spreads rumors about people behind their backs, often without any proof or evidence to support what they’re saying.

How to handle the gossips:

Stay out of it! Gossiping is never productive and will only cause unnecessary drama within your organization. If you’re being targeted by a gossiper, report them directly to HR so they can take appropriate action against the individual. You can also try telling them directly that their gossiping annoys you and would like them to stop doing it. They may not stop right away, but at least they’ll know that it bothers you and could help curb their habit some if they care about your opinion of them. Don’t give them any information about yourself or your coworkers. If someone asks you about something that happened in your department, say “I’m not sure what happened but I’ll find out.” Then go ask someone else who was there for verification.

The Opportunists

An opportunist is always looking for ways to get ahead or gain an advantage over others, even if it hurts the business or the coworkers around them. These people are often manipulative and will use any means necessary to get what they want.

According to career coach Susan M. Heathfield, opportunists thrive on drama and don’t take responsibility for their actions. They’ll also blame others for their failures or shortcomings.

How to handle opportunists:

If you suspect someone is an opportunist, watch how he or she acts around their boss or other high-ranking employees at work. This person may ask for favors from those above him or her in an attempt to climb the corporate ladder faster than others who have been working at the company longer than him or her have been there. The opportunist’s cutthroat tactics are often easy to thwart because they tend to burn bridges as a means to get to the top. The best way to overcome their efforts is to be genuine. Develop positive relationships with coworkers and professionals at all levels to build a reputation of honesty and integrity.

The Credit Thieves

This is the person who steals your ideas or credit at work and passes them off as their own. They also don’t respect other people’s work time — if they see an opportunity for a promotion or raise, they’ll take it without consulting anyone else first. This can be tricky because they’re often very smart and well-liked by management… but if they’re taking credit for your hard work, that needs to stop!

How to deal with credit thieves:

The best way to deal with this type of coworker is to make sure that you don’t leave your ideas unspoken or unrecorded — especially if you’re working on a project that involves more than one person. You should also speak up if something seems off about their work so that it doesn’t look like yours when it’s presented to others. A good strategy is to make sure you have a brag buddy at work so you can help point out each other’s ideas and successes to the higher ups.

Takeaway

It’s not easy to find the perfect office. Some working environments can leave you itching for a vacation with co-workers driving you so crazy that all you can do is wish for a quick escape. If you’re looking for ways to improve your work environment, use these strategies to recognize and handle different types of toxic coworkers.

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