You can avoid places they’re likely to hang out. If an annoying co-worker always eats lunch at noon, try eating lunch outside of the office or taking a later lunch. Avoid social situations where you’re likely to see that person. If annoying person from school is going to be at party this weekend, try making other plans.
For example, you’re working in a group for a work project. The annoying person is in your group. You may ask one of your group members to talk to the person, or you might only reach out to them via email or text message.
For example, if your office mate constantly complains about how much work they have, try ignoring them so that you don’t feel bad about your own work. You shouldn’t ignore everything. If a co-worker always teases you to the point you feel uncomfortable around them, confront them. You can say, “Would you mind not joking about my outfit? I enjoy what I wear, but it makes me feel bad when others criticize how I dress. "
Say things like, “Please,” “Excuse me,” and “Thank you. " Show the person basic manners while maintaining a somewhat stiff demeanor. This will show the person you’re not being hostile but you don’t want a lot of interactions with them.
Whenever you speak to this person, keep your sentences short and to the point. This will prevent any awkward or uncomfortable chatter.
For example, a co-worker is being very critical about an aspect of your personal life. Even though you’re giving non-comital responses, they keep at it. Say something like, “Okay, I appreciate the input, but I don’t really need it and I have somewhere to be. " Then, leave the situation.
Calmly tell the person they crossed a line. Let them know you do not tolerate this type of behavior. For example, “Don’t talk to me like that. I don’t need unsolicited advice. "
Each time the person gets on your case, briefly jot down what was said, who saw it, and the date and time. If you ever need to raise a formal complaint, you’ll have a lot of information from which to pull.
For example, “I know you don’t mean anything by it, but I don’t love getting teased about my outfits. " Let the person know how the behavior makes you feel. “It makes me feel uncomfortable at work, because people are always pointing out my looks now. " Lastly, tell the person where to go from here. For example, you can say, “I really don’t want you to make comments like that anymore. Do you understand?” Instead of criticizing the person, tell them what types of actions you won’t tolerate. This will help prevent conflict. Instead of saying, “You’re so annoying,” you might say, “I really need quiet time to get my work done. "
