Unless you’re a total shut-in, or you work in an unhealthy office environment, chances are you’ve make friends at work, as it tends to be the place in which you spend the bulk of your time. These relationships are positive and can increase productivity, but that doesn’t mean you should treat them as you would friendships made outside of the office. Here, 11 things you should never, ever say to your co-workers, no matter how close you may be.
Shhhh! Keep These 10 Things To Yourself
We can all agree that Americans work too much, and that the amount of time we're given to actually live life outside of the work place is depressingly minimal. So, every once in a while, we may just decide we need a timeout, and there's nothing wrong with that; however, it's also nobody's business, and it's best if your co-workers think you're actually sick when you say you're sick, so as to not resent your free day and potentially slip about your true whereabouts in front of your boss.
Sometimes, you may feel this way even if you don't actually hate your job. Save the commentary, however, for your significant other, mom or some other neutral third party. Telling the people you work with that you hate your job is not only unprofessional, it's demoralizing. No one wants to feel like they work in an undesirable place.
We've all done this, but it's so incredibly unprofessional and should probably be avoided whenever possible. At the very least, refrain from saying this to your boss—drinking too much from time to time might be a universal experience, but that doesn't mean your boss won't still be appalled by the fact that you had ten tequilas on a Tuesday.
This is none of your business, and since pregnancy can be incredibly stressful for women who work in the U.S. and are thus afforded an unforgiving amount of time off post-birth, it's best to avoid bringing this up to a newly-married workplace friend. Honestly, this is a rude question no matter where you are, but people ask it all of the time regardless. Don't be one of them.
First of all, you never want to risk this getting back to the person about whom you are speaking. Secondly, this type of gossip can be toxic, as your work friend may start to wonder if they, too, find that person to be annoying. Avoid badmouthing colleagues as much as possible inside the workplace—again, your (lucky) significant other or a (lucky) family member is a better confidante for this type of talk.
Look, we all want to work for Google or Uber or some company wherein employees are awarded 38920483 days off and have fully-catered meals three times a day. Even so, we suggest that wherever it is you would rather be than in your current company, you keep it to yourself. Hearing your co-worker say they'd rather work somewhere else—particularly if the company is competitive—is awkward at best.
Never, ever tell anyone inside your office that you're actively looking for a new job, as this can come back to bite you, big time. You'll also want to refrain from telling anyone that you've accepted a new job until you've told your boss first, as it's incredibly unprofessional for them to hear it from one of your colleagues before they hear it from you.
Whether this is an empty threat or not, it should be kept to yourself. If you're just venting in a moment of frustration, you will be incredibly sorry for saying this if your boss overhears it or catches wind of the comment and thinks you're serious about leaving. If someone's behavior or a certain situation is making you feel so frustrated that you want to quit, the more mature reaction would be to schedule some time to speak to your boss about it. After all, a sometimes-frustrating job is (generally) better than the unemployment line (contrary to the argument made by your never-ending Netflix queue).
This one is so tempting, but it's a big no-no. If your co-worker makes more than you, you will feel bad and demoralized and resentful. If they make less than you, you will end up making them feel bad and demoralized and resentful. Put blinders on when it comes to your salary, evaluating it by your worth rather than by what those around you may or may not be making.
Something about the nature of the workplace—perhaps that it feels a bit like daycare—turns us all into children sometimes. Your co-worker does not need to know the intimate details of all your "boo-boos," however, and it's best to keep detailed accounts of your latest medical issues out of the office. No one wants to know about your colonoscopy. Sorry.
"I didn't do anything today."
This happens to the best of us, but there's no reason to broadcast your uselessness to the rest of your team. (Though, it's also potentially sad if you spend an entire day at work doing nothing and no one notices, right? Perhaps, in that case, it's time to get a new job.)
