We all want to be liked. It feels good to have friends at work.

But if you want your coworkers to view you in a favorable light, you should probably try not to annoy them! According to a recent survey by National Business Furniture and Kelton Global, there are certain workplace behaviors that tend to be especially irritating to others. Here are the top five:

  1. Being late all the time – What’s one of the worst things that you can do at work? Be constantly late for meetings and other work events. 77% of respondents found this type of behavior to be extremely frustrating. So if your coworkers are often forced to wait for you to arrive, you should try to be a little more punctual in the future.
  2. Not doing your dishes – If you leave your dirty dishes in the sink at work for a long time, your coworkers might be feeling a little unhappy about it. 77% of respondents said that they resented the fact that certain coworkers never washed their dishes. In addition, cooking stinky foods (like salmon) in the microwave was also viewed unfavorably by 52% of respondents.
  3. Playing loud music – It’s fine if you want to play music while you work. Just don’t play it loudly. 74% of respondents found this behavior to be unacceptable. So wear headphones or keep the volume low, and everyone will be happy!
  4. Having a noisy phone – You probably love your ringtone. But not all of your coworkers might feel the same way. 57% of respondents reported that smartphone noises (including loud ringtones) are distracting and annoying. So you should probably put your smartphone on vibrate when you’re in the office.
  5. Talking about sensitive subjects – Everyone has their own opinions about things like sex, politics, and religion. These topics are personal, and 59% of respondents thought that it’s not appropriate to discuss these things in an office setting. It’s best to talk about more neutral subjects at work to avoid making anyone feel uncomfortable.

Overall, a good rule of thumb is to simply treat your coworkers as you would like to be treated. They’ll appreciate it!

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Carpenter, D. (2019, November 27). Leave the tuna casserole at home: Tackling the 5 biggest office pet peeves. Recruiter. Retrieved from: https://www.recruiter.com/i/leave-the-tuna-casserole-at-home-tackling-the-5-biggest-office-pet-peeves/