Character consists of many traits, from absolute honesty, to working well with others, to not constantly griping or being resentful, to doing more than your share when others are slacking, to focusing on your task instead of living inside your head, to friendliness and kindness, to having the self-discipline to not be sitting in a bar at 2:00 a.m. when you have to be on a job at 7:00 a.m. People of good character tend to be productive and do good work, and unfortunately, the opposite is also generally the case. Truly a mans and/or woman’s character is his or her fate. As an employee, it doesnt bode well for your career prospects to falsely accuse another worker of anything, and that applies to tattling as well. Therefore, you should never attempt to out a suspected office snitch or start rumors about who you think the mole is. However, you may find that its a good idea steer clear of an employee: 1. Whose job responsibilities have been marginalized: Employees whose job responsibilities have been gradually taken away from them may be in danger of an eventual layoff. The natural reaction to this is anger and indignation, which may cause some people to lash out at their fellow employees. Workers who feel insecure in their positions may resort to snitching as a way to cast themselves in a more favorable light with management and thus avoid losing their jobs. And of course, there will always be those people who just want revenge and dont care who has to pay, as long as someone does. 2. Who shows disrespect and jealousy toward colleagues: If one of your co-workers constantly talks trash about other employees in public, theres a better-than-average chance that theyre also doing so behind closed doors with management. Also, someone who was recently denied a promotion or has been stuck in a menial, unsatisfying job for years probably has a good deal of pent-up resentment and may be jealous of other employees that seem to have it better. Such workers may stoop to snitching as a way to drag down other employees and prove once and for all that they should really have that job. However, since most managers dislike a complainer as much as co-workers do, squealing is almost never a successful strategy for ascending the corporate ladder. 3. Who constantly hangs around common areas: All of those old adages about watercooler gossip are true; office break rooms, kitchens and other common areas are prime places to overhear the latest workplace rumors or pick up scandalous tidbits about co-workers wild weekends. Sure, everyone makes a few trips each day to common areas to eat lunch or exchange pleasantries with colleagues, but most people eventually return to their desks and get back to work. If youve never seen one of your co-workers outside of the kitchen, it might just be a harmless coincidence. But then again, it might not. 4. Who is regularly seen sucking up to management: Bootlickers are nearly as reviled in offices as tattletales, so it makes sense that these two personality flaws tend to go hand in hand. Such employees may use any face they get with upper management or executives to point out other employees wrongdoings, once again to cast themselves in a more favorable light ( and to make sure that the higher-ups are aware of the snitchs vigilance and staunch adherence to company policies ). Most busy upper managers have much better things to do than listen to childish complaints, but that doesnt mean that the problem employee wont keep trying. 5. Who never seems to leave the office ninety-nine percent of the time, those who work long hours are actually working hard, and they are probably arriving early or leaving late because theyre on a tight deadline or are overloaded with projects. But long workdays also give a snitch the chance to witness all other workers comings, goings and other activities. So if one of your co-workers is a constant office presence and they display all of the aforementioned warning signs, you may have found the offender. Remember, a work force or team built on trust will be happier, more productive and more effective. So dont let one person ruin the dynamic for everyone.
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 00:47:48 +0000
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