How to Confront a Problem With a Coworker

Butting heads with a coworker doesn't have to be a losing battle.

When you work with other people, you're going to have to deal with coworker problems at some point or another. These can be either small -- the sound of a coworker's chatter on the phone -- or large -- a colleague not pulling his weight on a project. Either way, they interfere with your ability to perform your job well, along with dampening your enthusiasm for work itself. Knowing how to handle this problem is important, as your response could either improve your working environment and coworker relations -- or further damage them.

Instructions

1. Analyze the problem and decide whether it's worth speaking up about. Silence is the best policy if the problem is small and won't happen again, the confrontation isn't likely to result in a change, the problem doesn't have a huge impact on you or your work or you know your coworker already feels bad about it. If the problem doesn't fall into any of those categories, however, it's a good idea to speak up.

2. Sit down with your coworker in a neutral setting, such as the break room. Then tactfully bring the problem to her attention. Perhaps she doesn't realize the impact her actions are causing. For example, if your coworker has the music in her headphones turned up too loud, say, "I don't know if you realized it, but everyone in the office can hear what song you're listening to. I'm sure that wasn't your intention."

3. Explain the impact of the problem. Talk about how the problem is affecting you, your work or the workplace in general. Start with phrases such as, "I'm concerned that ..." or "When you do/say [fill in the blank], the way it affects me/the office is ..."

4. Make a request. Ask your coworker if he can try to change his behavior -- and state what you'd like him to do next time. Say, "Would you be willing to ..." or "I would rather you ..." On the other hand, if you aren't sure of a solution, ask, "How can we resolve this?"

5. Listen to your coworker's explanation. Chances are, there's a reason behind what she's been doing. If you don't fully understand, ask questions. If you're dealing with a coworker whose reports are consistently late, ask her, "Are there any other factors that are preventing you from getting these done on time?"

Tips & Warnings

• Stick to non-judgmental wording, like, "The last few days, our reports haven't been ready on time," instead of accusatory statements, like, "You haven't been pulling your weight, and it's your fault reports are late."

References

• CareerBright: "3 Easy Ways to Deal With Difficult Coworkers"; Donna Reish; 2011
• Career Development Help: How to Deal With Difficult Coworker Situations