Irritating work colleague

ska_lover

OH gosh, I think in offices there is always at least one person who is a complete pain. Your post reminds me of someone I used to work with, she was in a quite junior role, but because she had been with the company for 10 years, literally used to walk round like she owned the place - when it suited her. I think you are best to find a way to deal with this woman yourself, as for your colleagues , if they have worked with her for a long time, they are probably used to her crappy behaviour

fluffnutter

Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »

I suspect that will just really p her off even more. And there is no way the OP is going to want to look as if she can't do the work. OP would be better off learning the systems inside out by herself [is there a handbook etc?] than asking this lady questions like that.

I couldn't agree less. Trying to pretend you know everything and refusing to ask for help is about the most silly thing you can do in the workplace. Whether or not it might irritate the colleague is one thing (it might) but as a general rule, asking those around you for help when you're new in a job is a much better way of building relationships and learning the job than reading some pointless manual.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

fluffnutter wrote: »

I couldn't agree less. Trying to pretend you know everything and refusing to ask for help is about the most silly thing you can do in the workplace. Whether or not it might irritate the colleague is one thing (it might) but as a general rule, asking those around you for help when you're new in a job is a much better way of building relationships and learning the job than reading some pointless manual.

The pointless manual...that just might explain the system?

:rotfl:

pixo

This won't help you.. but I could of wrote this!

krlyr

If everyone else in the office is aware of it, I imagine the managers will have some knowledge of it too. From previous experience myself, that was certainly true.

My advice would be cover your own back (e.g. try to do things by email or in front of witnesses to leave evidence you've done what you should have), be polite so you can't be accused of being the problem, and try to ignore it. This will give you time to try to guage whether reporting it further up would actually have a positive effect or not.

geoffky

Get some good ammunition before you fire the gun....

Rom_london

There's a story about a disciple of Buddha . The disciple had started meditating under a tree, because it was a beautiful tree and very near his home etc.

However soon after he started this daily exercise a flock of crows started turning up - as if on queue - when the disciple would meditate.

The disciple went to the buddha in complaint. The buddha laughed, and said that no, the man must learn to bear the crows.

So the disciple stood fast to his intent. A year passed but still the man found himself incapable of totally blocking out the birds. Further compaints to the boddhisatva garnered the same results.

And then one day the birds left. As if overnight the disciple became a boddhisatva.

Point being - learn to withstand the nasty colleague and you will be able to withstand the worse of them, for the rest of your life.

... The alternative is a campaign of humiliation. Very public people are often very concerned about public appearance. I'm thinking a whoopie cushion on steriods, in a very public manner, will elicit a hearty belly laugh of opprobrium from all your colleagues as they let off tension - and your annoyance may realise how frustrated people are with her.

This_Year

Rom_london wrote: »

alternative is a campaign of humiliation. Very public people are often very concerned about public appearance. I'm thinking a whoopie cushion on steriods, in a very public manner, will elicit a hearty belly laugh of opprobrium from all your colleagues as they let off tension - and your annoyance may realise how frustrated people are with her.

So you would suggest that a campaign of humiliation ie bullying is the way forward for this new employee toward an established employee?

Guest101

i know exactly the type of person you mean. dont waste your time on them, their attitude soon gets picked up...

sussexchick

Morning guys and girls

Huge thanks for all the replies and advice - loving the buddha story, made me giggle just thinking about a whooppee cushion (sighs, if only) !

I feel my best course of action will be to try and rise above her spiteful and nasty comments and HER attempt to embarrass ME infront of work colleagues. Everyone knows what she's like, I get the impression most people don't like her, but they have found a way to tolerate her. This is what I'm searching for the most really, just trying to find a coping mechanism before she pushes me completely over the edge.

Thanks for all the advice, I'll keep plugging away, just trying to find a little confidence and pluck up courage to 'give her a mouthful' when she feels the need to nit pick !