Think you have all it takes to be the star employee and yet feel like you are never getting the appreciation or the recognition you deserve? Well, we have news for you: probably it’s not your work but your workplace habits that have been effectively sabotaging your career prospects all this while. While most of us tend to think that we are doing it all right, from procrastination to poor communication, there happen to be so many toxic workplace habits that nullify all our hard work. And guess what you aren’t even paying attention to them.
Intrigued to find out what might be your toxic workplace habits? Here are five habits that might be blocking that much-awaited appraisal for you:
Beating It Around The Bush
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Remember the time when you planned a holiday months in advance but couldn’t dare to ask your boss for a leave and then called in sick at the last moment? Yes, your boss noticed that! It is really shocking that so many of us keep dodging confrontations as if having an honest conversation is the worst thing that can happen to us. Sadly, most of us end up realising only after our non-confrontational behavior ends up snowballing into something worse. Be it raising a problem to your manager or seeking some improvement from your team, beating it around the bush never does any good to anyone.
Here’s how to turn it around: Got some instructions for your team? Or maybe a question for your manager? Raise it upfront! Difficult conversations need to be navigated properly in the work environment and pushing them under the carpet is just not the way to go about it. Communicating clearly is the key.
Workplace Gossip
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Think all that workplace gossip is absolutely harmless? It’s not, especially when it involves having problematic discussions about your workplace and your colleagues. More often than not, such conversations have a way of spreading like wildfire and unfounded gossip not only ends up hurting your coworkers but also earns you a reputation as a big mouth. Oh and it’s not just your reputation that’s at stake here. The management is always vigilant of employees who always have something nasty to say about the organisation and always finds it safe to get rid of them.
Here’s how to turn it around: Consciously pull yourself out of this toxic habit. The easiest way of doing it is to ask your work friends to call you out every time you find yourself falling in the old patterns. After all, you cannot gossip on your own right? Asking your friends to call you out will also help them to get rid of the workplace gossip and thus promote a healthier work environment.
That ‘Oh I Didn’t Have Time To Do This’ Attitude
Had a week to finish that important presentation but left it for the last day only to do a substandard job? You can be the most talented of the employees and yet be assured that nothing would sabotage your career like procrastination. In case, you happen to be under the impression that you do your best at the last minute and thus put off important projects for the last day then you are surely missing out on the impact that it is having on your co-workers especially when you’re working on team projects.
Here’s how to turn it around: Procrastination is a habit and it is only by paying careful attention to our toxic habits that we can alter them. You can begin by getting yourself included in team projects that require your assistance in the initial phases of the work. This way you wouldn’t be left with any options but to finish the task at hand ASAP. Once you experience how finishing your work on time de-stresses you, you’d automatically want to do it more often. Remember, mindfulness is the key here and you have to constantly keep the vision of the reward (less stress) in your mind.
Bad Body Language And Other Poor Forms Of Communication
Didn’t they teach us that actions speak louder than words? Well, that holds true to date, especially in professional setups. If you are in the habit of rolling your eyes, constantly yawning or sitting in your office chair in the most casual way possible, then we have bad news for you. While all of this might appear insignificant to you, it never goes unnoticed and always creates a bad impression. Also, sending casual emails to your boss isn’t going to work for you either. You cannot forward them an event invite captioned, “Can I please, please, pleaseeeee go.” No! Nothing spoils your image in the office as soon as this workplace habit.
Here’s how to turn it around: Constantly remind yourself that you are in a professional setup that requires you to be aware of your body language. Notice those around you and see what looks appropriate and what does not. This will help you segregate a set of habits. Also, sending a professional email is not rocket science, all you need to realise is that there is a reason why it’s called “email” and “Whatsapp” and that should work just fine.
Temper Tantrums And Refusing To Adapt
Ever caught yourself saying, “Oh, we HAVE to report at 10 every day? Well, not gonna happen, that’s not how I do my things”? If the answer is “yes” then you, my friend, might have some issues in adapting to your environment and that’s never a piece of good news. While you might take immense pride in being the “rebel” at work and being the odd one out who always has an issue with the management, different organisations have different ways of operating. Throwing a temper tantrum on your boss or while your demands are not being met in the work environment is downright ‘professional suicide’ and no manager or company likes to deal with an adult-child for too long.
Here’s how to turn it around: Start with accepting that no two workplaces are similar and thus, you need to leave a set of habits behind when you leave an organisation and adapt to new ones at the new workplace. Also, voice your concerns to your team, manager, or HR if you have an issue with something instead of going all childish and throwing a temper tantrum.
It is only by being mindful of your own faults and having the willingness to work on them that you’d be able to do away with toxic workplace habits. While the idea of being all rebellious at work might sound cool to you, remember that you might end up going reckless at organisations that you want to stay in. Thus, it’s always advisable to resolve your problems professionally instead of going all berserk at your workplace.
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