Few things get on your boss’s nerves, like untrustworthy, unreliable, and sloppy employees. Coming to work late, calling in sick, whinging and whining the day away, and doing all these things often – might be making you incredibly difficult to manage.
Now, let’s say you genuinely want to stop being a thorn in their side, but you don’t know where to start. Well – it’s best to start from within because there are some behaviours that are guaranteed to push your boss over the edge and place you in the ‘absolute headache’ basket.
So, if you recognise yourself in more than a few of the below, it may be time to reconsider your ways. Changing these not-so-likeable traits at work may just be the ticket to getting you out of the 'difficult' category and into the boss’s good books.
Late to work – it’s a sign of disrespect
Being late every once in a while is fine. It happens to the best of us. Though being late on a regular basis says you don’t value the job or the time of others. A 2018 report of Australian workers paid by the hour found that on average, 12 per cent of employees show up 32 minutes late. So, when it comes to work, it’s not cool.
Make an extra effort to get to work on time.
Chuck a sickie often – your boss and the team pick up the slack
Every time you don’t show up, your boss has to stop everything and organise a replacement or reorganise work for the day, sometimes for the entire team. Unfortunately, we Aussies are amongst the worst offenders in the world when it comes to chucking a sick day. One report found 52 per cent of workers who called in sick were not ill at all. Further, many employees have been caught out by posting their day on social media leading to instant dismissal.
Great employees think twice before taking a sickie.
Question the boss’s orders – you offend and undermine their expertise
Whether we like it or not, the boss’s job is to do the delegating and decision making. If you don’t agree with those decisions, it doesn’t mean you have to make it known. But if you really must say something – then the least you can do, according to author and etiquette civility expert Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, is say it in a polite and unoffending tone.
Awesome team members approach their boss in private and in a considerate and respectful manner.
Sloppy work – others have to redo your work
Even though most people take pride in their work, some just don’t care. If you fall into the ‘not bothered’ category and look for ways to just finish up and move on, your boss will probably end up having a word or two with you about it. Having one person do sloppy work means someone else will be doing double to make up for it.
The best employees take pride in their work.
You winge and whine – always blaming someone or something else
To winge and whine the entire day away about the work being too hard, and you being tired, or sick of it, or to question why you pulled the short end of the stick won’t make the day any better or easier for anyone. The fact is everyone has bad days, but part of getting through it is getting on with it and not letting the bad mood get the best of you. So, try and turn that frown upside down.
Be the type of person you want to hang out with.
Don’t get along with teammates – the boss has to pick up the pieces
The workplace is a mix of different backgrounds, diverse personalities, and varying levels of patience. And while you may not get on like a house on fire with everyone, you can be civil with all. Remember, your boss is responsible for the smooth running of the day, so having one person push that fine balance that makes the workplace stable, workable, and productive can cause a serious backlog of work. Not to mention legal issues.
Workmates are mates at work – make an effort to get along.
Lies and deception – make you an untrustworthy team member
You might find this surprising, but most employees lie. A whopping 98 per cent of employees in a US survey admitted to telling a lie at work. The most common lies were to get out of work. These fibs can really give you a reputation within the team that will be hard to rebuild.
Great employees are hardworking and trustworthy.
Summary
• Being late to work is a sign of disrespect, so make an extra effort to get to work on time.
• When you are off sick, your boss and the team pick up the slack, so think twice before chucking a sickie.
• If you need to question the boss’s orders, do so in private and in a considerate and respectful manner.
• If you do sloppy work, others must redo it, so take pride in all that you do.
• Whingers don’t make for great teammates, so be the type of person you want to hang out with.
• Lies and deception will catch up with you – great employees are honest and trustworthy.
If you are open to new opportunities, contact a recruitment agency like Trojan Recruitment Group and receive advice from the experts in labour-hire, permanent and contract staff.
References
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/hide-and-seek/201406/the-psychology-lateness
https://insidesmallbusiness.com.au/management/planning-management/one-in-five-australian-hourly-paid-workers-dont-get-to-work-on-time
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-08/australians-worst-at-taking-sickies-expert-says/6529580
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/things-you-should-never-say-to-your-boss-2014-10?r=US&IR=T
https://businesstown.com/articles/sloppiness-in-a-worker-common-but-correctable/
https://medium.com/@idreessyed/have-you-been-asking-too-many-favors-from-your-boss-6443bef335d7
https://www.hcamag.com/au/specialisation/workplace-health-and-safety/conflict-resolution-in-the-workplace-at-its-finest/212510
https://www.dailypress.com/dailypress/tca-most-employees-admit-telling-lies-at-work-20190806-story.html
