How to deal with rude colleagues

We all deal with them; ill-mannered co-workers are the bane of any office worker’s life. It can have a big effect on how we feel at work and how we perform, so here are some tips for dealing with rude colleagues.

Don’t take it personally
Remember that your colleague doesn’t always mean to be rude. It could be that they’ve had a bad day and are displacing their feelings on you. Don’t take it to heart and keep in mind that repeat offenders are only speaking volumes about themselves and not you.

Keep your cool
Don’t respond to rude colleagues with rudeness. Keep your head up and be friendly in return to give them a chance to think about their behaviour. It’s a great way to diffuse the situation.

Find the reason
There will always be people who are just down-right rude. But if somebody gets a short temper with you unexpectedly, try to find out what’s causing their behaviour. Are they stressed? Is there something going on behind the scenes that’s making them act out?

Keep your distance
If being friendly and understanding isn’t working, take a step back to calm down. You can return to the conversation later if it’s worth revisiting.

Don’t overthink it
When you find yourself in a situation where nothing is working and your colleague is still being rude, it’s best to just avoid them where possible. Don’t dwell on it; just move on and don’t waste your time or energy on them.

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