Keeping a Job despite Coworkers

[Harbone]

The worst thing about any new job seems to be the people you work with.

I find I have sympathy for my clients and customers, but the other workers irritate me to no end. From the burnt-out schlub who's been there too long to bother answering a newbie's annoying questions to the happy girl who knows nothing but won't leave your personal life alone, it seems the other people we work with make our lives a living hell.

I can't afford to keep losing jobs because I react incorrectly to my coworkers. I'm trying to "grow up" but maybe there are some tricks of the trade I'm missing? You all have any tricks for blotting out coworkers, especially ones you have to share responsibilities with?  

[Azure Alexea]

Coworkers certainly can be the worst part of a lot of jobs... and they arn't always easy to find a common ground with. Depending on your job my advice to you would be to remember you don't have to like them you just have to civil. If they really bother you, try to keep conversations with them to whats absolute nessiary, atleast until they arn't annoying you quite so much....
At the same time, the more positive attitude you can have about them the more likely you are to find qualities rather then flaws. The glass is half full mentality really pays off on that front as everyone has atleast one really good aspect of themselves...... even if they hide it well xp  

[Taxi Mama]

I recommend a the book that opened my eyes on this subject: _Work Would Be Great If It Weren't For The People (Ronna and her evil twin's guide to making office politics work for you)_ by Ronna Lichtenberg. It's easy to read, with lots of funny anectdotes about real jerks, losers, and winners in the game. There are other books with more substance, if you decide you want sharper tools.

I myself stick to the work at hand, with a little social fluff to grease the gears. I remain calm and as cheerful as the situation can bear, no matter what's happening. Then I leave it all behind me when I walk out the door (usually). My real life is elsewhere; I don't need any drama at work.  

[Patron with a Mission]

I basically have the same problem; I tutor at the university I attend, and recently, rumors that another tutor likes me have been flying around.
I am one of the most anti-social tutors when it comes to co-workers

To not get fired, what I have done is to tell them to my personal business is not the company's, and therefore not needed to be discussed.

If that fails to silence them, I just glare and look away. Sometimes, being mean helps.  

[Harbone]

These are very good approaches. I've never read that book but I will seek it out. The only option that's hard to exercise is the mean one. I'd love to put that into practice, since it's almost second nature to me, but I can't be isolative in my current situation. I depend on the help of my fellow staff a lot at this point in the game.

I'm trying something very new to me, in this job, so I have a lot of questions.

It's not a high level job but it's a high burn-out position. There's a lot of "shakedown" crap people seem to want to pull. Last night, I had a fellow employee give me wrong answers every couple of minutes, or come right over and tell me to do dangerous and lazy things, so that I had to go to a supervisor and check on the right approach.

The supervisor eventually got pissed, of course, and told us to coordinate with eachother. This other employee still wouldn't work with me or give me a straight answer, so I started making stuff up (which left me at a distinct disadvantage tonight, when I had to ask the same questions all over again to fill in the gaps.) Since I work in the health care field these days, me filling in gaps or improvising can endanger human lives. I don't like that feeling at all.  

[queen of qeeks]

New workers are exciting and everyone tries to be their friend, or give them a hard time to "break them in." However, I find that once another new worker joins the group, they'll leave you alone and flock to them.  

[Harbone]

Well, good. That means I only have to last about a month or two more, then. That seems to be when the That's pretty much guaranteed. I hope I don't get used to all the attention. Gah.

I tried being curt, sort of a modified version of mean, but more assertive-yet-laconic, and it seemed to work all right.

With an eye to the social fluff beng my major problem, I just started walking away from the nurses station* when it started (we're really supposed to be out in the unit more, anyway) and then drifting back when I had a question. People mostly got the drift.

(Although I did have to come down hard on someone who started whining at me about football. I told them I hate football. Actually, that went a long way to improving things.)

*I'm not a nurse, just a floor tech... what they used to call an orderly.

Thanks for the advice. I'd welcome any other suggestions, especially new, off-the-wall or entertaing ones. Also, fellow complaints.  

[Wixandrettas]

Floor tech... I give you the most sincerest respect. You certainly tend to get the s**t end of the work...

I work in Medical Billing. There are about 36 of us, 22 are Medical Billers, the other are Payment Posters. Then we have 4 AR Coordinators, the Billing Manager and the Supervisor..

When I got hired, I explained to management that I am here to work. I love my line of work and dont like to get caught up in the chit-chat that tends to happen. It takes alot of people almost 25 minutes to get a cup of coffee because they are too busy gabbing. I will be nice to everyone, but I would rather not get caught up in conversations because, I have 14 insurance companies that I do the billing, collections and appeals for. I have lots to do and dont have time to chat. Many people know that about me and are ok with it.. except this one person...

There is this one woman, who thanks to the gabbing ladies, reported to management that she was back-stabbing me, talking trash about me and trying to get me fired. Management pulled me aside to ask questions one on one. Did I have a problem with anyone? Have I heard of problems? I said 'no'... I dont have time to talk with people because Im so busy working.... why?

Well, when management told me what staff had reported, I was LIVID.. I hadnt done anything wrong to ANYONE. This woman who had been cursing me left and right.. I was like, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO DO THIS TO ME? I DIDNT DO ANYTHING TO YOU!?!?!?!

Management wanted to put a stop to it because they know Im a good person, a very hard worker and wouldnt stoop to any level that would hurt a person.

Well, it was me, a manager, the woman starting the bullshit, a guy who joined in on it with her. They found out that I was going from Temp-to-Perm, was offered the job and that they were going to try tactics to get me fired by spreading rumors.

Management got wind of it and put them in their place. "Melanie is a temp right now, but she has accepted the position as a Full Time Permanent employee. She is not going anywhere and you need to leave her alone and you need to stop plotting to have her fired."...

You wanna see two grown adults try to play STUPID? I looked at the both of them "I dont know what your problem is with me, but we never talk for one, two.. you dont even KNOW me and youre already passing judgement on me to the point you want me to get fired? Are you really adults? Or are you just teenagers in disguise?"

I was so ******** mad. (Pardon my french). I looked at the both of them and said if you dont stop, I am going to file a grievance report with HR.

Since that day back in May, the guy left for another job. The woman, she still works with me. Tries her damnedest to talk to me, but I keep it short, simple and sweet, and ONLY work related. She bit my head off one morning at 6:45 am for not talking to her. I looked at her and said "Would you be full of words at 6:45am?" She backed off but complains that I talk to her differently than I do with others.

She is absolutely right. I do... Im not about to tell her things that she will try to use against me like she tried to do in the beginning.

I had a heart to heart with Management explaining that I dont want to be caught up in the gossip, the lies, the soap-operas, etc. Im here to work, and I dont want to get in the middle of any mess that people create for themselves. They appreciated my honesty and since May, I have never had a problem. Im quiet, I do my work, I get results done. Last month my team pulled in $125,000.00 which was the highest out of all the teams. When I was asked "how did you do it?".. hehehehe.. I said "I keep to myself, concentrate on my work and leave the personal stuff outside the door"...

There are ways of coming across firmly/tactfully/respectively... You have to be better than the other person who is causing you the grief.