Working can be a lot of fun if you make friends at your workplace. But the same work can be dreadful if there are some coworkers you hate. Wherever we go in our lives, we shall come across two types of people, one who are light-hearted and the others who are a pain. Good colleagues are those who enjoy working and who make others work enjoyable. They will help you in every task where you find yourself helpless. A good colleague will talk to you when you feel upset about something. They will encourage you to work harder and grab all the opportunities that come in your way. They become your moral support at the workplace.
On the other hand, there are not so good colleagues. These people fill your surroundings with negativity, and they find some or the other reason to argue with you. The moment you see them, you feel that your whole day is going to get ruined. Such people are rude, and they create problems for other people. You feel de-motivated because you do not want to work when they are around. You cannot participate in any project with them because of which you lose great opportunities. But what if that coworker is also unethical?
Signs that your coworker is unethical are:
#1. The person wastes their working hours at the workplace. Your coworker spends most of their time chatting on their phone or with the other colleagues. They also help others by altering the time sheet of the company when someone comes late.
#2. This person uses abusive language at the workplace. Even in casual conversations, this person uses abusive language. The person has been using colloquial language with the clients and in the official emails.
#3. The coworker creates a distraction for other workers and wastes their time. They do not let anyone else work when they have not completed their own work. They are responsible for unnecessary disturbances and fights at the workplace.
#4. You have caught this person leaking confidential information to the rival company, or you have seen this person stealing money from the workplace. This coworker is the cause for thefts that take place in the workplace.
#5. This person violates the company policies. They spend their time surfing the internet provided by the company during their work hours. They play games and watch movies instead of working hard for the company. They misuse the facilities provided by the company which was provided for every worker’s comfort.
You have had enough of this person’s unethical behavior, and you want to complain to your boss. But you fear that if you write a complaint, you will be called a snitch. You do not want other coworkers to think wrong about you, but you cannot even bear this person anymore. So, what do you do now? How do you report a coworker’s unethical behavior? How do you handle your coworker’s behavior without hurting someone’s position?
Here are some ways in which you can complain to your boss about a coworker without being a snitch.
#1. Make Amends
Before you go out to your boss to report a complaint, you should talk to the co-worker first. Talk to that person how about he is affecting the environment of the workplace and how they distract you every day. Inform the person how you are knowing their unethical behaviors and that if the person doesn’t change, you will have to report them to the boss. Do not sound threatening because this way you will be creating problems for yourself. But try to make amends with the person and see if the person is ready to change.
#2. Prepare
If the person doesn’t change or make a reform in their behavior, then you should prepare yourself to talk to your boss. Think about what you are going to tell your boss and how you are going to present your concerns. Prepare a script which reads all the points that you have to mention so that when you go and talk to your boss, you do not miss any important issue. Make sure that when you talk to your boss, your attitude should be positive, your tone should be polite and your statements should be affirmative.
#3. Seek Advice
Before you go to talk your boss, you should seek advice from your friend at your workplace. They will be able to suggest you the right way to talk to your boss and if you should even complain at all. Your friends at your workplace will support you in this decision, and then you will be able to state your opinion clearly and confidently in front of your boss. Your friends will be able to encourage you and will be able to aid a hand in your support.
#4. Get Your Boss’s Attention
Next step is to get your boss’s undivided attention. Make sure you talk to your boss at a time when they will be free and will be able to listen to you without interruption. Your boss is the busiest person, so it is essential for you not to disturb him/her and get a share of their anger. If your boss gets angry then your complaints will have no effect and you will be proved wrong. Your boss will not have the right opinion of you, and then none of your charges may get valued.
#5. Clarity In Your Statement
It is time to speak to your boss about the coworker with unethical behavior. Make sure that when you talk to your boss, you are clear about it. You should not keep your boss in any sort of ambiguity. If there is any confusion, then your boss will not be able to find a solution to your problem. You do not want to get a wrong solution so, be clear and do not hide anything. If you hide anything, then it will be your and the company’s loss.
#6. Your Concerns
Express your concerns with your boss. Inform them about how you have caught the person cheating the company by giving privilege to their friends in the workplace. Tell the boss that this coworker misuses their power in their favor and mistreats the others. State your concern that you fear this person’s unethical behavior is going to harm the company in some manner or the other. This way your boss will be able to understand the situation better. S/he will also get to know about your loyalty for the company. Your boss will realize that you work hard for the company and that you do not want one person to ruin it.
#7. Proofs
You need to have proofs to support your statements. Get the CCTV footage to show how this coworker wastes their time and distracts the other people. You can show worksheets to your boss that shows the colleague’s immaturity and disloyalty. When you provide proofs to your boss, then your boss will trust you more in case the person disagrees with your complaint. With the help of proofs, your case will become stronger and nobody will be able to defend the coworker who shows unethical behavior.
#8. Gather Support
You have given proofs, but you should also gather support from other employees of the company. You can remind your boss of other complaints that may have been reported in the past for the same person. When other people speak in your favor, it will become easier for your boss to take a decision and decide who is right and who is wrong.
#9. Affecting Your Performance
Inform your boss that this person’s behavior affects your work performance along with others. When others will complain along with you, then it will emphasize your complaint. Talk about how you get distracted, and you find it hard to work all day. Also, express your feelings for your work. Tell your boss that you really like your job and you want to work harder.
#10. Open To Any Solution
Now that you have given your opinion and you have shared your issues, it is time to show that you are a positive person and you are ready for any solution. Also, remind your boss that you tried to talk to this person for reforms, but the person disagreed so you did not have a choice other than to complain. You should be ready for any resolution your boss thinks is right. Do not argue with your boss about it. You should open your arms for any compromise. It is not necessary that the coworker will be made to resign so do not put your hopes up for that. Instead be ready to make a compromise as this will also highlight your nature and team spirit to handle such people at ease. Your boss will definitely appreciate you for your work and your skills to cope up with any situation. Your patience and determination will soon get rewarded by your boss.
Do you also have such a coworker at your workplace? Share your experience with us through the comments section below.
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The biggest problem about making a complaint is that people will start calling you
a snitch. When we were young we would tease those kids who would complain to
the teacher about a naughty child and it seems like nothing has changed. We have
grown up and we still cannot complain due to the fear of unacceptability. But
what does a person do when he has no choice.
There is a co-worker at my workplace who is my senior actually. I am new to this
company and what I have observed is that there are two groups. One group is the
supporter of that senior and the other group is against him. The point is that those
who support him do not like him either but they are sycophants. This person being
in charge and having a little authority over us misuses his powers. His supporters
are people who want to climb up the stairs of success early and they believe that
this person can help them. This person also keeps his supporter’s company by
giving them some privileges like if they arrive late at the workplace he marks them
on time. This senior assigns better projects to those who praise him and keep him
on the cloud nine. This is unfair and unjust. He also gets his personal work done by
other employees. I had my fair share of bearing this person but one day I decided
that I will go ahead and complain because someone has to. If not me then
someone else but I could not wait for someone else gather courage to talk to the
boss. I just did exactly what is mentioned in this article. I gathered people’s
opinion and trust in me. I encouraged them to speak and if they do not want to
lead then they can at least back me. I managed to get a lot of votes in my favor
and I went to meet my boss’s cabin to talk. My boss was generous enough to listen
to what I had to say by putting a halt at his work. I confessed all my concerns
clearly with my colleague’s support and their statement against the senior. My
boss understood everything and he also confessed that he was himself smelling
something fishy. He did not just find time to investigate about it. Now that the
whole staff admitted that the person is misusing the company’s time and his
powers our boss asked us to wait for him to talk to the other person so that he can
be fair. After a few days our boss announced that the unethical co-worker has
been demoted and he appreciated me for my courage and the quality to lead
when others were hesitant. The coworker does not enjoy the same powers
anymore and he has changed his attitude towards others. He behaves well and
surprisingly he admits that he was wrong. I appreciate the person for confessing
his mistake. Well, all’s well that ends well.