Want To Stay Sane At Work? Then Avoid These Stereotypes!
February 8, 2012 Sponsored post
Let’s face it, we all want to get through our working day as calmly and as stress-free as possible, but this isn’t always possible, of course. While it’s sometimes the work itself that may drive us crazy, more often than not it’s the people we have to deal with that are the main sources of irritation. Here are a few stereotypical characters we should all give a wide berth to.
The boss who tries too hard
It’s always good to have a boss that you can interact with, purely because it makes a working relationship easier to maintain. However, there are some managers who simply try too hard to be one of the gang. Being friendly and approachable is all well and good, of course, but when he or she goes over the top with the office banter it can be disorienting for everyone. There’s a line there, and the boss needs to stay on the right side of it.
The office Romeo (or Juliet)
Inter-office romances are rarely a good idea, and will often result in difficulties for both parties, as well as several of their colleagues. In many modern corporations, they are frowned upon, and HR departments will advise against them even before they start. The occasional chat by the water cooler is innocent enough, but if one particular employee always seems keen to take things further, extra care needs to be taken.
The practical joker
In most cases the only person who likes practical jokes is the protagonist. This unfunny individual needs to be discouraged at all times, whether this discouragement takes the form of a steely glare, a loud rebuke or a quiet threat. Loosening the top on the salt dispenser, splashing someone with water, hiding all the pens and placing fake dog poo on desks are all as funny as toothache. Avoid this muppet like the plague.
The wacky fundraiser
While raising money for good causes is, of course, an admirable pursuit, there is always someone somewhere who will take it too far. You know the kind – he’ll hop to the company’s serviced offices on one foot on a Monday so his daughter’s school can buy library books, and by Friday he’ll be dressed as a hippo in order to bring an end to world hunger. And once a month, he won’t use words that begin with vowels because he’s helping the local hospital to build an intensive care wing. While you wouldn’t wish him to be the first patient to use it, a few days at work without him to bother you would be quite nice.
David Rice is employed by a UK company that specialises in offering the business community the finest offices to let in towns and cities all over the country. He’s not a practical joker and he loves everybody he works with. Honest.
