How not to be an Office Jerk
There is one in many offices. They are the person that everyone tries to avoid. No one wants to be the office jerk or idiot. The person, who irritates, annoys or upsets the whole office. These are some hints to help you avoid being that person.
Offices are small spaces and people have to be close together. Personal hygiene is always important, but is especially important when you work in an office. Ensure that you do not offend by taking a bath, a shower or washing yourself thoroughly before coming to work. It does not matter how careful you are about your personal hygiene, if you do not change your clothes regularly. Your clothes should be clean and ironed. If you come to work looking like an unmade bed not only will you put your colleagues off but also, you will not be in a proper frame of mind to do a good job at work.
Projecting a friendly image and putting people at their ease is another way that you can fit into office life. Do not engage in one-upmanship, there is nothing worse than someone who always tries to hog the limelight by capping anyone else’s anecdote with one of his own. Be confident without being a braggart.
Good manners go a long way; treat your colleagues with politeness and dignity. Rude people drive people away and are never popular. Ensure that you give credit where it is due; never take credit for someone else’s hard work. Help your colleagues and they will help you when you require it. If someone asks for your help, be willing and cheerful.
Always be considerate in the office do not talk too loudly on the telephone. Do not make noise when other people are speaking on the telephone. When others have their heads down working, is not the time to chat about Saturday’s football game. Chattering too much annoys your colleagues, and means you are not paying attention to your own work.
Humour is necessary to office life but can overstep limits if you are not careful. Be considerate about other people’s feelings and do not make jokes at other people’s expense. There is no place for racist, sexist or offensive jokes in the workplace, or anywhere else for that matter, and such jokes may be illegal in your country. If you are in any doubt about whether to make a joke then do not.
Take a friendly interest in your colleagues but never gossip. Keep your private life private; no one wants to hear an explicit account of last night’s date. If you talk too much about your private life you leave yourself open to gossip.
Act in a professional manner at work and be a considerate colleague. That way you will not end up as the person that everyone in the office avoids.
