Every office is a mingling pot of habits, personalities, and oddities. Whether your office is a small co-working environment or a big tower, you probably will run across some recognizable people. From the chatty over-sharer to the enigmatic food hoarding, let’s explore the five five kinds of colleagues you are likely to encounter—and how to manage them without losing your cool!
1. The Over-Sharer
Signature move: Turning ordinary discussion into a thorough recounting of their most recent drama.
Everybody knows the coworker who transforms a straightforward “How was your weekend?” into a three-part narrative about kidney operations for their cousin. Although it’s fantastic that they are at ease sharing their life with you, occasionally you simply want to get your coffee and head off.
How to deal with them: Perfect the craft of the polite cut-off. Answers such as, “Wow, that’s cool! Let’s meet up later. I have to finish out this report but could save an hour-long monologue. Alternatively, plan your coffee break while they are engrossed in conversation with someone else.
2. The Snack Hoarder
Signature move: A secret food stash that vanishes without explanation when asked to be shared.
From their drawer, you have observed them surreptitiously pulling chips, candy bars, or grains as though they were on a covert operation. Though curiously never seems to provide to the squad, the snack hoarder always has a stash. Want a cookie? Too bad—it’s stashed in the food vault.
How to deal with them: Bring your own modest snacks to the table. By distributing your goodies and gently guilt-tripping the hoarder into sharing theirs, you may even become the “snack saint” of the office. They will either become known as perpetual snack scrooges or join the revolution in snacks eventually.
Signature move: Arranging meetings for which emails would have been more natural.
The excitement of scheduling many times a week on your calendar drives the conference junkie. They will find a way to extend the one sentence on the meeting agenda into a 45-minute conversation. Their ceaseless demand for “brainstorming sessions” cannot be satisfied.
How to deal with them: Suggest gently more effective means of communication, such as short emails or fast Slack communications. If they insist on in-person meetings, suggest a “walking conference” to at least get some movement in while working through the specifics. Alternatively show the team the wonders of Friday meetings free from obligation.
4. The Chatterbox
Signature move: Walking by your desk to discuss anything under the sun—work-related or not.
The Chatterbox enjoys socializing and will gladly settle at your desk for an unplanned heart-to- heart. From office rumors to yesterday night’s TV episode, they are a wealth of material. Although they’re fantastic for a quick respite, their timing usually falls during your busiest times.
How to deal with them: Establish a friendly but firm line. Say something like, “I’d love to catch up, but I have a project due soon,” when you’re under a tight schedule. Later on, let’s chat. Should that be insufficient, make investments in noise-cancelling headphones; they are a wonderful deterrent.
5. The Ghost
Signature move: Never around when you need them but yet manage to finish everything.
The Ghost is a puzzle for offices. Though their jobs are always mysteriously finished, you hardly see them. They leave you wondering whether they are masters of productivity or if they have mastered teleportation since they somehow dodge all the office small chat, interminable meetings, and group lunches.
How to deal with them: Accept the enigmatic manner of the Ghost! Although they may seem antisocial, they usually prefer alone work to group projects. Respect their space; nevertheless, if you need it, don’t hesitate to ask for assistance. Sometimes the team needs a quiet, behind-the-scenes worker exactly to get things done.
Navigate Office Personalities with Balance and Humor
Every office is a little ecosystem with individual personality. See them as part of the appeal of working life rather than allowing their eccentricities drive you our of control The secret is to find a balance—accepting the enjoyable personalities while controlling any possible disturbance of your output. A little tolerance, humor, and appropriate limits will help you deal with an over-sharer, snack hoarding, office ghost, or another kind of situation. Remember, in a world full of coworkers, you might just be someone else’s “type,” too!
