How to Cope With an Abusive Cubicle Partner

Many companies to save space and money have begun filling out their cubicles with two people. While this may promote teamwork and camaraderie among some employees, it can also be a disaster for others. Many people take out their stress and unhappiness on their cubicle partners. This is a difficult situation to be on the receiving end. Read on to learn how to cope with an abusive cubicle partner.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Talk to your cubicle mate how you are feeling. Many times people who are abusive or rude in a work situation do not realize they are making others uncomfortable. Their behavior could be a result of stress and they could alter their habits once they are made aware of it.

2. Speak to a supervisor if you are concerned about confronting your coworker directly or don't feel like this problem cannot be solved between the two of you. Supervisors can mediate a discussion or talk with the employee themselves in order to try to fix the problem.

3. Request a move if the problem can only be solved by you inhabiting a new cubicle. This is an easy way to deal with an abusive mate because it can appear as if management wants you to move or wants the cubicle mate to move for other reasons. This cuts down on risks.

4. Ignore your cube mate's abuse. Most likely, they treat you this way in order to get a reaction out of you. For many people, getting under people's skin is their reward for being mean. If you ignore them, you take that satisfaction away, and maybe they'll stop.

5. Create a barrier between the two of you. Either physical or not, a barrier can help your cube mate know their boundaries. It can be as simple as wearing headphones or as complex as separating your desks with cardboard.

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