We’ve all got them – bad work habits. Some habits can be really annoying to others, like eating a stinky lunch. While these habits might leave your co-workers feeling less than thrilled with you on occasion, small offenses of this variety aren’t likely to get you fired. Then there are those offenses that can really hold your career back. How many of them do you have? Trust me…your boss wants you to read this!
Being unkempt – What happened? When did you go from looking pulled together to falling apart at the seams? You certainly didn’t show up looking like this on your first day at work. Did casual Friday morph into messy Monday and you eventually just went with it? Not making an effort to look (or smell) good at work tells everyone that you’ve stopped caring enough to make an effort. It also makes it more difficult for others to accept you as ‘one of them’ and face it, your sloppy appearance sure isn’t going to get you promoted!
Bad attitude – “No one appreciates what I do around here.’ ‘The office is always too cold.’ Blah, blah, blah. Your constant complaining is bringing everyone else down and some people actually try to avoid you. Negativity spreads faster than a virus and you’re infecting others. If your company needs to let people go, the whiners are usually among the first chopped.
Always late – Maybe you tend to run just a bit late for work or put off tasks until the last minute because you think you work best under pressure. In reality you’re seen as a procrastinator which becomes a matter of trust for those you work with. Not having a plan and flying by the seat of your pants becomes a trait your boss and co-workers learn to associate with you. Everyone will think twice before giving you a new opportunity, after all who wants to rely on the person who can’t manage his or her time.
Being the company nay-sayer – Everybody loves how passionate you are about your job, but try not to be the person who always has a better idea and can tell you why everyone else’s idea is not going to work. Voices of reason are in the office are necessary, but too much negativity will get on people’s nerves and they come will dread anything that you have to say. Continue to be an independent thinker, just make sure that you aren’t only trying to make sure you’re always ‘right’.
Showing up sick – You’ve got a terrible cold or the flu and can barely drag yourself out of bed. Why did you insist on coming in and sharing your germs with everyone else? Your ‘valiant effort’ is really not appreciated. If you’re sick, do everyone a favor and just stay home.
Lack of good manners – Not returning phone calls or responding to e-mails. Not saying ‘please’ ‘thank you’ or ‘I’m sorry’. Need we say more?