“That jerk at the office is driving me crazy!” …. Many employees dread going to work, but for those who have to work with a jerk, going to work is unbearable. A jerk is a disengaged employee whose behaviour contributes to co-workers’ depression and insomnia. Workplace negativity is intensified if the jerk happens to be your boss.
Despite numerous resources to hire only the best, some employees with unethical behaviour do slip through the cracks. Worse still, toxic behaviour becomes contagious and may influence others to mistreat their co-workers.
It is important to look in the mirror and be reflective — you might be the office jerk in someone else’s eyes! If judgmental comments from co-workers indicate that they secretly dislike you, it could mean you are indeed a jerk? If so, take action to correct your behaviour before it’s too late.
One company hired a new girl to issue blueprints needed for production employees. She came to work dressed in outfits more appropriate for dark streets at nighttime, so flimsy and see-through that she became the talk of the place. Requests for blueprints grew exponentially. I too yielded and made unnecessary requests just to get a decent look at what others were chattering about. She didn’t make probation and was replaced by one not nearly as provocatively attired.
One employer had a guy hired whose feet stunk like a suffocating odor of rotten eggs, so odious that others complained and refused to work near him. Human resources directed him to a doctor for treatment. I can’t remember if the stink was eradicated or his feet took him down another path.
I also knew someone who stole lunches from the eating area refrigerator until someone spiked her lunch with ex-lax. It was the last time anything was pinched. At the same place, one guy swore frequently and told sexist and inappropriate jokes which made others uncomfortable. It took months before management canned him – far too long!
There is more than how you look or how you behave to fit into a workplace. It is about getting the job done right. Sometimes, it is difficult to detect if someone is a jerk – at least in the beginning, by just merely their appearance and actions. If the person missed deadlines often, and was displaying other unprofessional conduct in the workplace, it should to be addressed. Good judgement comes from experience — experience comes from bad judgement. There are plenty of examples of workers giving less than 100 percent, as if lounging around at home doing what is easy. As Julius Irving (Dr. J – basketball star) said, “Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on the days you don’t feel like doing them.”
Most terrifying though — a boss that was a jerk and in control of your paycheck. Don’t take it lightly; it might be worse for your emotional well-being and physical stress, than you realize. It is important to take action: not too aggressive, not with kid gloves, but always to remain positive until the right solution comes along.
In my case, I had to endure a boss so difficult that the stress wasn’t worth the job. The anxiety was a constant tug-of-war: to quell my fear of losing I simply let go of the rope in acceptance. Suddenly most of the worrying stopped. Maybe serendipity, but not long afterwards my boss was taken to task by his boss and turfed him out for his incompetence. That one action was a major highlight in my life.
During my involvement with a boss from hell, I experienced anxiety to its fullest, maintained endurance to outlast it and finally was victorious over it. I hope everyone can be as fortunate with their workplace jerk.
No matter how you cut it, water cooler chat or social contact helps enhance company culture by bringing people together. A break from work-related tasks on a more personal level to get an opinion, to complain, to find empathy and to share good news. It has been occurring since the dawn of business and every employee deserves that relief and acceptance.
