31 unprofessional habits that annoy everyone you work with

31 unprofessional habits that annoy everyone you work with31 unprofessional habits that annoy everyone you work withIts understandable that, in all the time we spend with coworkers and bosses, we might have let a schwimmbad habit or two slip.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreMany of these bro faux pas, however, may be avoided - you just need to know what it is that drives everyone around you nuts.For the sake of yur office companions, take a moment to remind yourself what behavior at work may be getting on someones last nerve.Here are 31 habits that might be annoying the heck out of your coworkers (or out of you).Showing up late to workPunctuality is critical, said Rosalinda Oropeza Randall, an etiquette and civilityexpertand author of Dont Burp in the Boardroom.The professional thing to do is to arrive on time, ready to do what is expected. Its bedrngnis like they just sprung th is job on you, she said.Rolling in 10minutes late to every meetingSimilarly, arriving late to meetings shows that you neither respect your coworkers - who showed up on time, by the way - nor the meeting organizer, Vicky Oliver, author of 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions, told Business Insider.Keeping people waiting can be construed as inconsiderate, rude, or arrogant, Randall said.Calling in sick when you arentRemember the adage that half of life is showing up, Oliver said.You wont prove you deserve the promotion if you fake sick every few weeks.Eating particularly smelly food at your deskEat lunch at your desk at your own peril.Experts sayyou should never eat lunch at your desk because its unhealthy.But eating lunch at your desk doesnt just affect you - foods that are messy, crumby, smelly, or noisy can have a serious impact on your coworkershappiness.This is especially true for pungent foods, which can be hard to ignore.Smelly foods like the following should stay out of the office Reheated fish Hard boiled eggs Brussels sprouts Raw onions Garlic Tuna salad Stinky cheeseBeing negative all the timeRepeatedly responding to suggestions with a pessimistic or contrary attitude can be construed as being uncooperative, Randall said. Phrases like That wont work, That sounds too hard, or, I wouldnt know how to start, should be avoided.Similarly, complaining too much puts you in a bad light.While there may be times when everyone feels the desire to complain about the boss, a coworker, or a task, voicing it will only make you look unprofessional, Randall said. Its even worse if you complain every day, all day, from the moment you walk into work. Before long, people will go out of their way to avoid you.Theres bedrngnishing as energy-draining as having to deal with a pessimistic coworker, Rosemary Haefner, the former chief human resources officer forCareerBuilder, told Business Insider. Things do go wrong, but even when they do, focus your energy towards what youve learned from a bad situation.She pointed to a recent CareerBuildersurvey, which shows that a majority of employers - 62% - say they are less likely to promote employees who have a negative or pessimistic attitude.Playing 20 Questions on every new assignmentThere may be no stupid questions, Oliver said, but there are certainly annoying questions. These are the kinds of questions that prove you really dont want to do the assignment or illustrate you only want to hear yourself talk.When you receive a new assignment, gather your questions, and pose them in an organized way, Oliver suggested. Never just spout out question after question off the cuff.Being a slobWhether youre at your desk or in the break room, being known as the office slob is never a compliment, said Randall.When you clog the office kitchen sink and leave your garbage around, who exactly are you expecting to clean up after you?Leaving your mess behind shows lack of responsibility or consideration, arrogance , and immaturity, Randall said.Similarly, your workspace can be a reflection of you, she said.If youre like me, who works well in a semi-messy environment, it can be inhibiting to be clutter-free. But with open cubicles or workspaces, the professional thing to do is to make some compromises, Randall said. It would be disrespectful and inconsiderate to expect your coworkers to deal with your mess.According to Haefner, employees who dont clean up after themselves can hurt their chances for a promotion in the eyes of36% of employers.Being distractedduring meetingsThere is a reason why texting is illegal while driving Its impossible to concentrate fully on two things simultaneously, Oliver said.Texting, surfing the web on your laptop, instant messaging, schmelzglasing - doing any of these things during a meeting shows everyone else in the meeting, especially your boss, that youre not paying attention.They know that while your butt may be planted in the chair, your mind is roaming, Oliv er said.Interrupting your colleaguesIts rude to interrupt. When you do, it shows others that you dont have any respect, judgment, or patience, Randall said.While participation can earn you some brownie points, bad timing can wipe those points away.Acting like you know everythingPiggybacking with a comment either to outdo, correct, or worse, rephrase the comment and claim it as your original thought is a sure way to make your coworkers eyes roll, Randall said.Bragging to your coworkersWhen were proud of an accomplishment or about something good that happens to us, its natural to want to share the news with others, Randall said.But sharing can easily become bragging, and she said there are a few key indicators that this is happening If you go on and on, telling everyone and anyone who walks by. If you speak of it in a loud tone so that even the window washer can hear it through the thick glass. If you use a tone of superiority. If you feel the need to put down others and point out the ir failures. If you fail to say thank you when you are congratulated. If you start embellishing the story.When in doubt, try a little humility Randall suggested.Grooming yourself at your deskIn fruchtwein fields, casual grooming in public is frowned on, Oliver said. If you need a touch up, she suggests heading to the bathroom.Practicing poor krperpflege and groomingAt the same time, you want to look like you take your job seriously when you walk into work, and your hygiene and appearance play a role in that.Poor hygiene and sloppy clothes scream, I dont care and are a surefire way to put off those around you, Randall said.Your boss may wonder whether your attitude about how you present yourself extends to your work, she explains, and you may be passed over for a promotion, overlooked when its time to meet with a client or represent the company at a conference, and not invited to social gatherings.Burping, passing gas, picking your teeth, adjusting your body parts, and rarely showeri ng are not just unprofessional behaviors for the workplace, but theyre pretty darn gross as well, Randall said.Discussing your personal problemsOliver said there are two issues that arise from openly discussing personal problems like your ongoing divorce at work First, you just dont look like you are actively employed when you spend hours a day dishing about your ex. Second, youre discussing a personal problem at the office when youre supposed to be a maestro at solving problems.The place for disclosing confidences is outside the office, Oliver said.Talking about political or partisan issuesIf theyre divisive issues in politics, theyre probably divisive at work, too.You spend so much time at work that you may have built up a chummy relationship with your coworkers and bosses, which makes you feel entitled to express your opinions.But youre walking a fine line when you bring politics into the workplace.Passionate discussions are to be expected in the workplace, but they should really be focused on work-related issues.At the end of the day, youre there to do work, and political or partisan arguments can be distracting to both you and your coworkers.Whats more, as an employee expressing yourself at work, it turns out you have fewer protections than youdthink- and if your boss doesnt like what they hear, you could get fired for it.Before you pull up your soapbox, you should be aware that in most cases, free speech in the workplace is limited or non-existent when it comes to controversial movements or topics, Randall said.Being too nosyThere is a line between curiosity and nosiness, which you dont want to cross, Oliver said. Curiosity, she explained, is when you ask who the new hire is. Nosiness, on the other hand, is when you rifle through your bosss files to see how much the woman three cubicles down earns.Unseemly bathroomchatterNever strike up a conversation with someone who is using the bathroom. Its awkward.Cornering someone in the restroom to hold a convers ation, especially when they are in their private stall, is awkward and intrusive, Randall said. They have the right not to respond while conducting their business. If you must converse, at least wait until youre washing your hands.Selling stuff to your coworkersIt seems like almost every office has one or two people who sell cookies for their kids. But Randall said that some companies prohibit soliciting at work because it takes up work time and places people in an awkward position. Breaking the rules could be grounds for firing.Soliciting signatures, volunteers, or donationsBefore you go cubicle to cubicle enlightening your coworkers about your cause, read the company policies and procedures manual. fruchtwein companies discourage or forbid promoting personal causes, especially on company time because its deemed disruptive, Randall said.Getting drunk on the jobSome employers stock beer in the fridge and host weekly happy hours. Others do not.But regardless of whether social drinkin g is part of your companys work culture or not, its still not a good idea to drink at work so frequently and heavily that you become labeled the office drunk.This rule of thumb also extends outside the office to company gatherings and happy hours.Commenting on someones appearanceEven if you see it as a compliment, your coworker may view your comments about their appearanceas harassing or discriminatory.Its best to stick to valid compliments pertaining to work rather than how you think someone looksBeing too noisyIf you play music loudly while others are trying to work or have conversations the entire office can hear, then your coworkers likely consider you one ofthe most annoying distractionson earth.Being noisy, especially in an open office, hasa significant effecton your coworkers focus and productivity, and the noise could hurt business if it carries into an important phone call.Try to show your coworkers that you respect them by keeping the music down, and hopefully they will re turn the favor, Oliver said.Making personal calls all day longTalking or texting with friends or family on company time is unprofessional and could be against company policy, Randall said. Whats more, doing it during a break is fine, but these correspondences should be kept out of the workplace, even the lunch room.You never know when your boss may walk by for an impromptu chat, she said. What will they see or hear?If the topic of conversation is of a delicate nature, be sure to keep it private. One overheard juicy tidbit can spread like wildfire, Randall said.Being overtly cliqueyMaybe the new guy who smells like French onion soup is not your favorite person on staff, Oliver says. Thats no reason to flee him every time he asks you for help on an assignment. Nor should you be spreading gossip about him, Haefner said.Its best to act friendly toward everyone, Oliver explained You will come across as more of a team player and show you have management aptitude.And according to Haefner, nearly half of the employers CareerBuildersurveyedsay they would think twice before moving an employee who participates in office gossip up the ranks.Take care that any criticism you make about someones performance is deemed to be constructive, measured, and deserved, Oliver suggested. Not keeping the discourse civil could cost you your job.Spreading your things all over the placeDont be the one who edges into other peoples personal space, Randall warned.You know the ones - they place their coffee mug just so, a comfortable reaching distance, making room for their notebook, elbows, and of course their cell phone and protein bar, she said. As the person seated next to them, youre left with only enough room for a water bottle.Swearing a lot at workUsing foul words or questionable language is not only a bad habit, but in most places of business, its still considered unprofessional and can even land you in Human Resources for a little chat, Randall said.Swearing demonstrates to others that you arent able to calmly and thoughtfully deal with a situation, and it could make you the last resort in an even more difficult or extreme dilemma, she says.Haefner says that more than half of employers CareerBuildersurveyedconsider vulgar language an indication that an employee is not ready for promotion.Consider learning some new adjectives, Randall suggested.Displaying nervous habitsJingling your keys, tapping your pen, shaking your leg, constantly checking your phone, chewing gum, biting your fingernails, scratching your head - the list of nervous habits goes on, and you probably dont even realize youre doing it, but your office mates probably do, Randall said.Not only can these habits be distracting to others, but they could also be perceived as boredom.Perception is a persons reality, Randall said.Avoiding work social eventsWhether youre shy or you feel like you have better things to do, never attending company-hosted events, declining coworker lunches, and calling in s ick on team-building days gives the impression that you are antisocial, arrogant, and not a part of the team, Randall said.So, next time when you need a favor from your coworkers, dont be surprised if they go MIA, she warned.Obnoxious email habitsFrom not including subject lines to sending urgent emails that arent urgent,poor email formcan really rub your coworkers the wrong way.While mastering the art of good email etiquette doesnt mean sending out beautifully crafted prose each time - that would take forever - if you can avoidthese bad habits, youll be off to a great start.Berating a subordinate in front of othersDont misuse your power over your subordinates by screaming at them in front of everyone.In fact, no berating ever,Ross McCammon, author of Works Well with Others, previouslytoldBusiness Insider.Judging your colleagues too harshlyIf youre just starting out at a company, give everyone (and everything) a chance. Try to keep an open mind and maintain a positive attitude.Oth erwise, you might earn yourself a reputation of being judgmental and mean.Plus, crystallizing your negative opinions about those you work with can dull your critical thinking in the long run.We need to recognize that were not the only ones making judgments, nor are any of the judgments facts,Psychology Today contributor and psychology Ph.D. candidate Rubin Khoddam wrote. Judgments are simply our way of seeing the world, which is just one perspective.This article first appeared on Business Insider.