One of the things that make a stressful work life bearable is having coworkers who have turned into friends and family. With them, you share the same struggles, triumphs, challenges, and successes at work. You develop a kind of relationship that does not only last for a week and inside the office but throughout your stay in the same company all at the same time.
Things change, and people also do. As you spend more time working together, almost living together inside the office, you get to know more about each other. You find out personalities, and after some time, you realize some coworkers are becoming toxic to you and probably to others. Well, maybe, that’s inevitable at work since all have come from different backgrounds and experiences. The sad reality is that everyone hates a toxic coworker — a very unhealthy relationship builds if there is.
You hate it maybe because you’ve been a “victim” of a toxic coworker before. You hate it maybe because you know how stressed workers already have enough challenging work to still be with people that add hassle to work and life. You hate it, but after all the stresses and experiences you’ve had, the people you’ve encountered and have influenced you, haven’t you become one?
Here are 3 signs from your coworkers that you’ve become the toxic coworker you’ve always hated.
Your Stories? Next, please.
Before, you eat lunch together with your coworkers, and as a part of your daily lunch, you have a story as a side dish. You notice one day that after you ask them something that obviously will spark a tittle-tattle, one of them politely disregards your question, tagging it as unnecessary to be talked about, or maybe they answer your question then immediately change the topic.
That sounds a bit sad for you, but this sign implies that maybe your “stories” have turned into “gossips”, and you don’t even know. You thought you’re just telling some stories the whole time when actually, they’ve grown into unhealthy gossips.
This sign means that your coworkers are no longer interested to hear rumors that may hurt feelings and destroy names. They don’t anymore want to talk about people’s personal lives. Maybe in the middle of every conversation, you don’t notice that you hurt and offend some of your coworkers.
Gossiping is one of a toxic coworker’s favorite thing to do. It’s very unhealthy, it can ruin relationships and reputations. If you’ve become a toxic coworker, then you might be feeling or seeing sign #1.
Team up? Just fine.
Before, anyone who gets on a team with you feels lucky for having you. You were one of the favorite coworkers since you have the mind, the hands, the voice, the heart and the initiative. You’re a full package! But now, you see or feel that they don’t care if you’re in the team or not. They say, “OK” instead of the usual “Awesome!” after finding out you’ll be working together.
That sounds sad for you, but this sign implies that maybe your full package as an ace worker has become arrogance, self-centeredness, and opportunity sweeping. Because you know a lot and you can do a lot, you might have become boastful, overconfident and too proud of yourself that you make your coworkers feel inferior. Because you know your coworkers love working with you, you might have loved yourself too much and the skills that you degrade others’ capacities. Because you’re used to initiating in everything, you might have swept other opportunities your coworkers would like to embark on.
This sign just means that your coworkers no longer find it a good fortune to team up with you. If you’re a team, it’s just fine. If not, it’s better. If you’ve become a toxic coworker, then you might be feeling or seeing sign #2.
Your presence? Oh hi.
Before, your coworkers consistently greet you happily and enthusiastically upon seeing you arrive at the office or every time they see you anywhere. Now, you notice that their energies have dropped. They greet but not anymore like how they used to.
That sounds really sad for you, but this sign implies that maybe your presence once spreading happiness and love has turned into a presence spreading bad vibes. They’re no longer excited to see you maybe because they already know the next thing you’re about to say — something about gossips, judgments, self-praise, bullying statements, negativities and more!
This third and last sign means that you’ve totally changed because your presence doesn’t anymore excite your coworkers unlike how it does before. If you’ve become a toxic coworker, then you might be feeling or seeing sign #3.
Conclusion
If you’ve become a toxic coworker, then you might be feeling or seeing all these 3 signs.
That’s sad, but don’t be. There’s hope.
If you’ve gotten all three perfectly, don’t be entirely sad, rather you better know now how to restore the helpful and loved co-worker you once were. This is truly sad to know, especially if you’re really experiencing these signs unlike before. It’s a change in your identity and personality, and it might definitely be overwhelming for your coworkers who have known you since day 1.
You just have to do better again. You need to get back to the person you were when you were just being everybody’s favorite coworker. You need to recollect yourself. Maybe you are also just dragged by other toxic coworkers or changed by the toxic job you have. These signs may be saddening especially if it’s time for you, but it happens really!
For those who are currently experiencing these signs, may this piece help you realize who you once were and the toxic coworker you’ve always hated. For those who haven’t experienced these yet and of course don’t want to, watch yourself and watch out for these signs; don’t let them in.
Remember that a happy work life includes a healthy workplace and happy workmates.
