8 hours a day and 6 days a week, office has become second home for most of us. In that context we also end up having best buddies at office. We are often so attached to office and office colleagues in our lives that we end up discussing almost everything under the sun with them. But how many of us have thought, what is healthy to share with them? Though there are your best trusted friends in office, there is always a line which needs to be drawn between you and your colleague.
So what are those things that need to be kept locked within you?
Salary:
One of the very primary things to start with, is your salary. Guarding your salary details is in one way, keeping your company's trust as most companies do not like their employees discussing their salaries. What you earn should always remain between you and your HR Manager. Also knowing each other's salary will only end up in doubts and discomforts about your company and work as you may feel that the company is biased or partial.
Workload:
When you are burdened with loads of work, out of frustration you might burst out your problems to your colleague. But doing so might jeopardize your career. Constant cribbing about the workload would only brand you as an inefficient worker and portrays you as a person who cannot work under pressure. Workload is something that you cannot avoid in a workplace, when you know something like that is coming, be smart and finish the work as best as you can. It is all about planning.
Disagreements with your Boss:
You hate your boss? Zip it up within yourself and never share it with your friends at office. You don't get along with your boss - so what? There are hundreds of employees in the world like you. Your colleagues will brand you as a difficult person and will put you into a sticky situation. You have various reasons for not getting along with your boss, but it might not be the same for your colleagues. In fact, they might have a very good rapport with your boss and they may be in his good books.
Biased views about other colleagues:
In a workplace, everyone have some kind of disagreement or argument with someone or the other. In a way you end up not liking that person as well. But we still have to maintain a cordial relation and certain decorum in office. If you don't get along with certain colleagues avoid them but don't discuss their lives, wardrobe or professional abilities with others.
Discussing personal stuff:
This is a very important rule in the black book. Discussing your breakups, divorce, difficult in-laws, missing maids, are not information to be shared with colleagues over lunch or cried over their shoulders. Also speaking about boy/girl who interests you in office will show that you are not concentrating on your work and your focus is shifting. Knowing your personal stuff, your colleagues might make a fool out of you and also might take advantage of it at times. In an office environment, one is expected to share a professional relationship with all.
The above are certain topics that could rebound on you and negatively affect your career growth. All readers would not agree that these are completely avoidable. Yes we agree on that. It's human nature and we tend to do the above things under certain pressures and circumstances. But all we need to do is....
Courtesy: Silicon India
