Have you ever encountered an annoying coworker who wants to know every move you make? How about one that constantly gossips about other coworkers? Here are 6 steps to set boundaries and protect yourself from having a coworker ruin your work experience.
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Limit your interaction
Avoid going out to lunch. Sometimes you may have to interact with your coworker, but only converse the bare minimum. You can set clear boundaries by stating “I am working on a project” or “I promised to meet with another coworker.” Eventually they will get the hint.
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Make clear what s/he cannot do
I had a coworker send an email thanking another coworker on my behalf. That was quite inappropriate especially when my coworker had nothing to do with this interaction. It is important to confront the person in a professional way. For example, “I noticed that you sent my email on my behalf, but next time I can do that and it is important that I do it since it is a separate department from yours.”
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Be a broken record
Continue to set boundaries in a polite and professional way. Do not let the coworker interfere with your work.
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Find allies within your team
If the annoying coworker is bothering you, there is a high chance s/he is bothering someone else. You do not need to gossip, but is important to get a feel for what others may think.
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Do not get involved in gossip
If the nosy coworker is talking about other people, they are mostly talking behind your back as well. It is also a clear indicator that they will back stab you.
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Talk to a supervisor
Push comes to shove, you may need to consult your supervisor. Especially if the nosy coworker is interfering with your work. It is important to have concrete examples as most supervisors will overlook comments like “she’s annoying.” However, they will listen to “I am concerned that Nosy Coworker is interfering with my work flow by…”
