Oh, the workplace. It’s an odd place where you’re forced to interact with all kinds of people, whether you’d pick their company IRL or not.
Sometimes you get lucky and end up with a new work wife/hubby/bestie. Other times you’re stuck gritting your teeth every time you’ve got to head into a meeting with that douchebag co-worker.
And what is we find unforgivably annoying? New SEEK data has the answers.
Not surprisingly, seven out of 10 of us prefer working with personalities similar to their own, but that same amount of people acknowledge that they learn a lot more from working with those people very different to themselves.
According to SEEK candidates, when you are forced to work with a different personality to your own, three main challenges arise. The first is overcoming different ways of getting things done. The second is how each of your deals with conflict, and finally the extra effort that goes into trying to talk to someone you don’t click with. All sounds pretty familiar, I’ll bet.
In fact, a full 75% of candidates feel that personality is the biggest influence on working styles, followed by seniority. A quarter of respondents still feel that race and religion influence the way someone works, which is shitty but very sadly not surprising.
Wisdom says we’ve got to interact professionally at all times, but in reality, how do we respond when we’re stuck with a crappy co-worker?
SEEK’s Ambassador & Resident Psychologist, Sabina Read, reckons it’s about making changes in how we’re dealing, rather than expecting our co-workers to change.
“Start by observing the differences that exist rather than judging them, and avoid labelling others with negative or derogatory descriptions,” she suggests.
“Instead of being loud or arrogant, is it possible your extroverted boss needs to talk to make sense of their day? Instead of asking why is someone is being tricky, explore what works for them about the way they are behaving.”
“Being open and curious about the ways others think, plan, analyse and organise shows respect for them while garnering possible growth for ourselves.”
